Back to Your Heart
by charmedgal005
Summary: Sydney and Vaughn have been married now. But when something goes totaly wrong with a mission, will Sydney be able to fall in love again? Compleete!
1. Deep stomach feelings

**Back to Your Heart**

**Charmedgal005**

**Disclaimer**

_If I owned these Characters (aside from the ones you don't recognize) I probably wouldn't be writing these.  If I owned these characters, you would probably see this story on the show.  Hey!  You know what?  I am writing these and you don't see this story line on the show, therefore, I DO NOT OWN THESE CHARACTERS!!!  So don't sue me!_

_I haven't forgotten about my other fics!  They're coming!_

"Vaughn, this is an easy mission. I have had to do these simple extractions a million times over.   I'll be fine." Sydney pleaded as she stood by the door.  Since they had taken down SD-6, and the alliance quickly fell afterwards, 8 years earlier, she and Vaughn had been happily married.    They had one young daughter who was only 2, named Alexandra.  Only Sydney was the only one that called her Alex.  Sydney still was part of the CIA, although she only went on one mission every couple of months, while being an English professor at the college.  Vaughn got to become a field agent after all of his assisting Sydney on her SD-6 missions, and his major role in the take down.

            "Not a million."

            "Ok, so I was exaggerating.  I'll be home tomorrow with time to spare before the party."  

            "I don't think I could handle a house full of professors without you."

            "I know.  I'm sorry this had to happen right before it was my turn to host the professor party.  But you know I had no choice."

"I know.

"Just get Alex to Francie's before five."

            "Why then?" 

            "Because afterwards at five thirty Francie promised to take Alex to one of those inside play grounds."

            "You have to have reservations?"

            "No, but, just do it Michael."

            "I will.  Promise you'll make it back."

            "As always.  You know, you've become a worry wart ever since you became a field agent."

            "I now know how wrong things can go."

            Sydney leaned over and gave her loving husband a kiss.  "It's me."

            There came a cry from the bedroom.  Sydney put down her purse to go quickly tend to her daughter.  Alexandra had woken up from her nap.  Sydney picked her up, and began rocking her.  Alexandra immediately calmed down.  Vaughn watched his girls from the door.  He heard a car pull into the driveway.  It could only be one person.  Sydney's CIA partner.  "Larson is here."  

            "Hello?"  A deep voice called from the living room.  "Its really cold outside so I just invited myself in."  He yelled.

            "In the nursery."  Vaughn called. Larson had been to their house on a number of occasions, and was considered a close friend of the Vaughns.  

            Larson walked down the hall.  He gave a friendly pat on the back to Vaughn, and then turned his attentions to Sydney.  "Sydney, we have to go if we are going to catch the plane."

            Sydney kissed Alexandra on the head, and passed her onto Vaughn.  "I love you." She said before kissing him goodbye.

            "Love you too."  Vaughn said.  He held Alexandra as they went to the front door.

            "Bye bye." Sydney said to Alexandra.  Alexandra lifted her pokey hand, and waved goodbye.  

            "Bye bye." She said, in her little baby voice.  Sydney smiled at her innocence, and picked up her suitcase to leave.  She has little regrets as she shut the door behind her.  This was an old mission that she had done a million times.  Place a simple bug.  But Vaughn however didn't feel the same.  It was one of those pits at the bottom of his stomach that made him feel uneasy about the mission.


	2. The Party

Here is the next chapter.  I think after I post the chapter after this, I'm going to put this on the back burner until I get some of my other fics done.  I have got like two fics that are like three to five chapters left until they're done.  So this isn't going to be that long.  Hopefully.  Well, in any case, enjoy this chapter.        

Vaughn tried to ignore that feeling.  But when Sydney didn't come home the next day when she was supposed to Vaughn, began to worry.  Sydney always called home the minute her plane had landed. It was something that she did to let Vaughn know that she was ok.  Vaughn did the same for her.  She never called.  Worried, Vaughn called the airport.  Her plane had landed almost an hour ago. Sure, Sydney had to go down to headquarters before coming home, but it never took an extra three hours.  Vaughn tried to shrug it off.    "Have you heard from Syd?"  Vaughn asked Francie as he dropped Alexandra off.

            "No, I'm sure she's fine though."  Francie assured.

            "Yeah, I'm sure you're right."  Vaughn passed Alexandra onto Francie.  

            "But if she calls here, you'll be the first to know."

            "Thanks.  Bye Alexandra."  Vaughn said.  Alexandra buried her head in Francie's chest as she smiled at her father.  Vaughn turned around.  "France, no cartoons.  Syd caught Alexandra quoting one, and got kinda mad at me for having her watch too much cartoons."

            Francie chuckled.   "What did she say?"

            "Something from an old one.  I wasn't there, but Syd didn't like it."

            "Ok, I wasn't planning on it anyway.  We were just going to the indoor play ground, then head home for some good old fashioned sleeping fun."  Francie said.

            "Thanks for doing this Francie.  I'll pick her up after ten."

            "Ok, have a good party." Francie shut the door.  Vaughn walked out to his car.  He picked up his cell phone and dialed Sydney's cell number.  She wasn't answering it.  Then again, if she was inside a building, her phone wouldn't work.  Vaughn then tried the house.  Sydney wasn't there either.  Vaughn took a deep breath and crossed his fingers as he dialed Larson's cell phone.  He only got a message saying that the phone was unavailable. He dialed the number to Weiss, but it was busy.  Frustrated, Vaughn threw the cell phone on the passenger's seat and sped off, hoping that he'd beat the guests to his house.  He was lucky.  None of the guests had arrived yet, but he didn't have time to ponder on this.  He was barely home for more than ten minutes before the door bell rang.  Happy that he had changed into nicer clothing before dropping off Alexandra, Vaughn straightened his shirt and answered the door.

            "Michael!  How wonderful to see you!"  Seth Marks said, upon seeing Vaughn at the door.  "Where is Sydney?"  Inwardly Michael groaned.  Of all of Sydney's fellow teachers, Seth was his least favorite.  He made it no secret that he liked Sydney, a lot.  Sydney wasn't a fan of him either, but he was always invited to parties because he is an important British Literature in the English department.  Numerous times, he has caught Seth hitting on Sydney.  Sydney wasn't going for it every time.

            "She's not back yet."  Vaughn answered.  No one at the college knew about Sydney's very part time job as a CIA agent.  

            "Where did she go?"

            Vaughn had to think quickly.  "She's dropping off Alexandra off at the babysitters."  Vaughn said.

            Seth put on a phoney smile.  "That's nice." He said.  Vaughn stepped out of the door way to allow Seth inside.  "Where shall I put the wine?" He asked, holding a bottle of wine in his hands.

            _How about you and your wine go back to your apartment.  Vaughn thought.   "Just over there on the counter."    Vaughn was annoyed at the fact Seth was the first one there.  It meant that he was forced to play nice host and talk to him.  But he didn't have to for long.  Vaughn was very relieved as other professors and their spouses arrived.  The house was soon filled with food that people had brought, and filled with people chatting.  After the first ten people had arrived, Vaughn was able to avoid Seth.  Vaughn went into the kitchen to refill the ice, when he felt Seth's presence behind him._

            "Shouldn't Sydney be back by now?" He asked.  "The party has been going for almost two hours now, and I didn't think it would take that long to drop off a little girl."

            "Syd and Francie have been known to talk for hours.  I'm just going to call her to remind her."  Vaughn said.  He went into the bedroom, and began dialing numbers.  Francie hadn't heard anything from Sydney yet, Sydney wasn't answering her cell phone, Larson's cell wasn't available, and Weiss's was still busy.  Vaughn wasn't at all surprised.  Weiss only turned on his cell when he was expecting a call, and whenever Weiss got on the internet, he was on for like five hours at a time.  Frugal Weiss decided that it was too expense to have two lines, or any other kind of internet.  "Damn it Weiss."  Knowing that Jack was the only one he hadn't called, and knowing that Jack didn't like to be called while directing a mission, Vaughn opted to join the party again.  But he was distracted.  

            Vaughn was in the kitchen when someone went and found him.  "Michael, there is someone at the door looking for you." She said.

            "Thanks Lana."  Michael put down the empty plates, and went to the door.  Weiss was standing there, looking grim.

            "Eric, what's up man?"   Weiss pushed his way to the door.  "Hey, have you heard from Sydney?"

            "That is why I'm here tonight."

            "What is that supposed to mean?"

            Weiss pulled Vaughn into the nursery.  "Something went wrong."  Vaughn opened his mouth to ask what, but Weiss held up his hand to silence him, "Someone was anticipating them.  They had thought of everything.  We couldn't talk to them.  We know at least that Larson was zapped, making all communication devices useless.  There was a definite struggle.  Larson is dead.  We had a recovery team in there just thirty minutes ago.  Sydney was no where to be found."

            Vaughn sunk into the rocking chair by the bed.  This couldn't be happening.  He began to silently weep.  He knew this mission wasn't good.

            "What do you want me to do?"

            "The people."  Weiss took two steps to the door before Vaughn stopped him.  "But don't tell them anything."  Weiss nodded.  Vaughn sat there.  He looked around his daughter's room.  Situations ran through his head.  Sydney couldn't contact the CIA, but had escaped alive, and was trying to find a way home.  Sydney had been kidnapped, but she was ok.  And then there was the worst case scenario, and Vaughn didn't, he couldn't believe it.  Sydney could also be dead.

            "They're on their way out now." Weiss said.  "One guy wouldn't leave until she made an appearance, but I told him now, or I could wheal him out on a stretcher."

            "That's Seth."

            "The same Seth that you come into work once a month complaining about?"

            "The very one.  I need to get Alexandra."  Vaughn stood up.  

            "No, you stay here, I'll go get her.  You can't drive."

            "I need to get Alexandra."

            Weiss saw how badly his friend needed that connection to his family right then.  "I'll drive you there."

            "Thanks." Vaughn quietly sat in the car.  He was too distracted.  Weiss was right, he couldn't have driven.   He unbuckled his seat belt and got out of the car.  "Eric, come in, it's too cold for you to sit in the car like that."  

            Vaughn walked like a zombie up the steps to Francie's apartment.  

            "Michael, you're here earlier than expected, I just got Alexandra down."  France cheerfully said when she opened the door.  She saw the very somber look on her best friend's husband's face.  "What is it Michael?  You never heard from Sydney did you?  Eric what are you doing here?  What happened?"  Francie's questions hit Vaughn hard.  He ignored them, and went into the bedroom where Francie always put Alexandra to sleep.  Francie then turned to Weiss for her answers.

            Vaughn couldn't hear much.  But he could hear Weiss say, "She's missing."  And Francie beginning to cry.  Vaughn picked up his daughter, and her bag.  Alexandra began to stir in her father's arms.  "Shh….  Daddy's here."  Vaughn comforted.


	3. Jessica English

In Barcelona, a woman wandered the streets lost. Her shoulder length brown hair fell straight along her back.  For reasons unknown to her, she had thrown off a blonde wig almost ten minutes ago.  She was looking for home.  Nothing felt familiar to her.  Scared, and alone, she took off running.  Up and down the streets, hoping that she would find something that would lead her home.  Exhausted, she collapsed in front of an apartment complex.  Nothing still felt familiar.  She sat on the curb, buried her head in her hands and began to weep.  She didn't understand why she was so bruised, why her leg was bleeding so badly, why she felt so sick, why she was so confused, why she was all alone.  

            "Are you ok?"  A woman, approximately her age approached her.

            "I don't know."  The woman said, she was surprised she answered in Spanish.  All of her thoughts were in English.

            "Are you lost?"

            "Definitely."

            "Where do you live, perhaps I can give you directions?"

            "I don't know."

            "What is your name?'

            "I don't know." With that, the woman began to cry again.  The other woman sat down next to this stranger, and put her arms around her in a comforting embrace.

            "Your leg is badly bleeding.  Why don't we start by getting you to the hospital?"

            "It's not that bad."

            "Maybe someone is looking for you there."

            Deciding that the other woman is right, the woman stood up, and took her hand for balance.  "I may not know my name, what is yours?"

            "Rosaline Gonzales."

            Very glad to know someone, the woman walked to the hospital which was only a few blocks away.  She reached into her pocket and pulled out a name tag from a party earlier that night.  "My name is Jessica English."  The woman, now Jessica, said.

            "You remembered?"  Rosaline asked.

            "No, but I found this name tag in my pocket."

            "Well, at least you have a name, Jessica."

            "Yes, at least I have a name."

            After getting her leg bandaged, the brunette, walked with Rosaline to her apartment, where Rosa let her stay the night, and the next six years.


	4. The Soccer Game

I know I said I wouldn't be putting another chapter up for a while.  I lied.  This story was too good to let it be ignored.    My other stories are also that way, but unlike this one, I haven't written myself into a corner.  lol. 

Thanks so much to my reviewers!  Keep it up!!!

            "Daddy, if we don't leave now, I'm going to be late for my soccer game."  Eight year old Alexandra Vaughn whined to her father.

            "Just a second honey.  I have to answer this e-mail."  Vaughn answered.

            "You're always doing work."

            "This one isn't work."

            "If it isn't work, then can we go?"

            "Do you want Granny to stay with us next week?"

            "Yes."

            "That is why I have to write this, so I know what time to pick her up."

            "Can you type any faster?"

            "Nope, but I'm all done.  Now let's go beat those Ravens!"  Vaughn enthusiastically said.

            "Dad, you're not playing, I am.  And my team is playing the Jaguars."  

            "When did you become such a smart alec?"

            Alexandra shrugged her shoulders.  "I guess I just am."  

Vaughn stood up.  He picked up his coat, and looked longingly at a picture he kept by the computer.  His wife, his darling Sydney, standing there, holding his daughter.  She had been missing for six years.  After the CIA team had searched every inch of the house, the only body they found was Larson's.  The only thing of Sydney's was her blood, and her wig several blocks away.   Vaughn felt that everyone had given up.  He never could.  While everyone was telling him that he should move on, Vaughn couldn't.  He had spent hours after work looking for her.  Twice he had flown to Barcelona looking for her, for just a day.  Four times for several weeks or more.  For a whole year, his daughter had been neglected by him.  He had a wake up call when Francie got so worried about Vaughn disappearing for a week to look for Sydney in Barcelona when he had only dropped off Alexandra to be watched for a couple of hours that she called the police.  They had threatened to call social services.  Vaughn quit the trips, but he didn't quit looking for Sydney.  Then, they fired him.  He hadn't done his job in so long.  He had only used the CIA resources to look for Sydney.  Vaughn began to teach high school French.  Sydney had always said he'd make a good high school teacher.  Vaughn turned his attentions back to Alexandra who was now pulling on his sleeve. _She looks just like her. He thought to himself._

Vaughn picked up his girl, and she squealed with delight.  "Daddy?  Can we go now?"  She asked, as Vaughn put her down.

"Yep."  Vaughn drove to the game.  He waved to his daughter from the sidelines as she ran up and down the field.  His best friend came up during the game and sat down next to him.

"Have I got news for you."  Eric Weiss said.

"You found me at the game?"

"No, Jack told me that Alexandra had a soccer game.  I just went to every field."

"Must be big news."

"It is."

"Are you ever going to tell me?"

"I thought it would be more fun if I made you wait."

"The game just started, I have time to play your games Eric."  Vaughn only half paid attention to the ramblings of his friend.

"Ok, so we have always had links to all of our agents open.  You know, like old alias's and stuff to see if people still use them."

"Yeah, I know that.  Need I remind you, I worked there too."

"Well, for the first time in six years, and alias popped up."

"So?"

"A Jessica English to be exact."  

Vaughn snapped to attention.  Someone from behind him poked him, and pointed to his daughter who had just scored her first goal.  Vaughn paid no attention to him. "That was Sydney's alias."

"Yes."

"You found her?"

"I can't say.  The name turned up on a staff list for a university in Barcelona."

"That was where Sydney was last."

"Yes."

"What are you playing at?"

"There is a team going to Barcelona tonight.  You are welcome to go."

            Vaughn stood up.  "I got to get ready." 

            "Slow down there.  You can't forget about Alexandra.  That was something you did for a year.  Don't start up again."

            "You're right.  Could you watch her while I'm away."

            "Nope."

            "Why not?"

            "I'm going too."

            "Then, I'll call Francie."  Vaughn jumped off of the bleachers, and went behind the crowds to make the call.  Vaughn breathed a sigh of relief when Francie's husband, Joe, agreed for her.  

            "Daddy!  Daddy!  Did you see the goal I scored?"

            "Yeah!  It was awesome!"  Vaughn lied.  He hated lying to her, but sometimes it was the best thing for her.  

            "Uncle Eric!"  Alexandra said, she ran over and gave Weiss a hug.

            "Hey.  You played good today."

            "Thank you.  Guess what, we get to go to the playoffs!"

            "Way cool."  

            Vaughn took Alexandra's hand. "Hey Alexandra, I need to go someplace for a couple of days, is that alright with you?"

            Alexandra pouted.  "Please Baby?  I need to do this."

            "Why?"  Alexandra demanded.

            "Because your dad used to be a secret agent of the CIA and he needs to help out his government again."  Weiss said.

            Alexandra laughed, at what she supposed was a joke.  "You're funny Uncle Eric.  Will you be watching me?" 

            "Nope, you're going to Aunt Franice's." Vaughn answered for him.

            "Will Calvin be there?"  Alexandra asked.  She crinkled her nose at the thought of spending a lot of time with Francie and Joe's three year old son.

            "Yes.  And you have to be nice.  Calvin likes you."

            "Yeah, but he follows me everywhere.  He's a copy cat!"

            Vaughn looked down at his daughter in a scolding fashion.  She flashed him an innocent smile.  "Thank you for being such a good girl for me."

            "Yep."  Alexandra said.  Vaughn drove her home where the two packed, and got their things together.  Vaughn quickly called the school he worked for and told them that he needed a sub for Monday and Tuesday.

            Vaughn dropped Alexandra off at Francie's house.  Joe had neglected to tell Francie that she was staying for a couple of nights making Francie very surprised to see Alexandra and Vaughn standing at the door with a child's suitcase.  When that was cleared up, Vaughn drove to the building that he had worked at for so long.  He took a deep breath before boarding the airport with the rest of the five person team.  In Barcelona he hoped he would find his wife.


	5. Flashback

I don't own "You'll be in my heart" I think Phil Collins does.  So, you know where that song came from.

* * * * *Flashback* * * * *

There is nothing new parents like more than to get some sleep.  Finally glad that they had gotten Alexandra down for a while, Sydney and Vaughn decided to take advantage of the opportunity and went to sleep; only to be woken by the four week year old's cry.  Sydney moaned and rolled over to go answer the cry of her young infant. She sat up and put her feet in her slippers, but before she had the chance to stand up, she was stopped. "Don't honey, I'll go get her."  Vaughn said, putting his hand on his wife's back to stop her.

"Thanks, but if she's hungry," Sydney said.

"I know.  Vaughn said.

Sydney took her slippers off, and crawled back under the blankets.  The soft lullaby that Vaughn sang to his daughter soon had Sydney, as well asleep.

Come stop your crying  
It will be all right  
Just take my hand  
Hold it tight 

I will protect you from all around you  
I will be here  
Don't you cry 

For one so small, you seem so strong  
My arms will hold you, keep you safe and warm  
This bond between us can't be broken  
I will be here  
Don't you cry 

'Cause you'll be in my heart  
Yes, you'll be in my heart  
From this day on  
Now and forever more 

You'll be in my heart  
No matter what they say  
You'll be in my heart, always  
Always.

            "You have a beautiful voice."  She said when she felt her husband's warmth next to her.  "Thank you."  He said.

* * * *End Flashback* * * * *  


	6. The Memory

This chapter either needed a lot of Spanish, or a lot of translating, so I decided neither.  If you see anything said surrounded by asterisks (*) that means it is said in Spanish.  For example "*Keys!*" Jessica English called.   Pretty simple.  A lot easier than having it first in Spanish, and then me translating for all you people you who don't speak Spanish.  But there is a part where there is some flat out Spanish.  I used an internet translator, so if it is wrong (because you can speak the language)  tell me, and I will write to the site and demand money.  J/K but I will change it.

Thanks to my reviewers again!  You guys truly rock!!!

Vaughn made it a point to sing his daughter to sleep.  Even in Barcelona, when it came time for Alexandra to go to bed, Vaughn made sure that he called her, and sang her the lullaby that he had sung since the day she was born.  Something his sister did for her son, and something that Vaughn had wanted to make a tradition.  Sometimes Alexandra would get annoyed at her father always singing to her, but hearing his voice over the phone from across the Atlantic ocean made Alexandra so happy.

"You are one devoted father."  Weiss said.

"It is just what Sydney always wanted.  A devoted family.  I'm going to give it to her."  Vaughn simply said.

That was the third time that month that Jessica had had that dream.  It wasn't a memory, but something she yearned.  She was standing at the park with her daughter, Juliana, and there was a man with them.  They were throwing a ball around, like a normal family would. Every time Jessica went closer to see the man's face, he would turn away.  Then when he was close enough that she could see his face, it was blurry, like her head wanted to remember what he looked like, but couldn't.  But there was a song playing in the background, one that felt more familiar than not.  She had heard it before, but couldn't place it.  At first Jessica thought it was a memory. But it was impossible to be a memory.  When Rosaline had found her, she was barely pregnant.  Juliana never knew her father.  Jessica looked over at her clock in her bedroom, and began to run around her room.  She quickly woke up Juliana and Raquel, Rosa's three year old.  That was her job in the morning, getting the kids to school.  Not a day went by when Jessica wasn't grateful for Rosaline's hospitality. She had taken her in, and helped Jessica find a job at the university, teaching English, something that came more naturally than Spanish.  Even after Rosaline had married Luis, and had their daughter Raquel, Jessica was still allowed to live with them.  It was something that she held on to with a force.  "*Keys!*" Jessica English called out, as she did every morning.

"*Check the table.*" Her five year old Juliana said, as she ran into the kitchen, all dressed in her uniform for school.

"*What would I do without you?*"

"*Lose your keys.*" Jessica laughed at her daughter's wit.  

"*That I would!*" Juliana glowed.  "*Rosa, Luis are you ready?*"  Jessica called up the stairs.

"*Go on without us!*" Rosaline called back.  "*We're running late!*" Jessica heard a fit of coughs from their room, and figured that Luis was fairly sick.  She figured that Luis wouldn't be going to work.  It was because of him that they had that nice apartment.  Luis was a doctor, so the minute he was feeling sick, he would have the day off.  

"*Ok, we're leaving!*" Jessica called.  She grabbed her daughter, Raquel and ran out the door, and to the bus stop.  They saw Rosa and Luis get into their car and drive off, presumably to the doctors.  Luis' cough did not sound good.

"*Tía Jessica, why didn't Mama come today?*" Raquel asked.

"*I don't know.  I think your dad is sick.*" The bus stopped and there was a rush of people getting off.  "*Onto the bus girls.*" Jessica said.  She watched as some men stepped out of the car.  They felt a little familiar, but she couldn't pick out why. Jessica got on the bus, and paid the fare to get to the university.  

Vaughn stepped out of the car.  Weiss had told him that a Jessica English lived in the wealthier part of town, and he drove him there.  Vaughn now looked at a large apartment building.  Inside the building could live his wife he said.  Vaughn saw people getting off the bus, and watched as one woman ushered her two young daughters onto the bus, like someone normal would do. He couldn't see the mother's face, but there was something about the older daughter that reminded him of his own. Vaughn had the impulse to pick up his phone and call Alexandra, but realized that it was only midnight, and she was still sound asleep.

"Let's go Vaughn."  Weiss said.  Vaughn led the team to the apartment, only to find that no one was there.  "We're going to come back tonight."  Weiss said, upon seeing the disappointment on his friend's face.

Jessica stepped off the bus, and quickly ran the girls to the school, only a block away.  Juliana's teacher was not pleased at the fact that Juliana was late.  Jessica felt bad.  Her daughter was late because she sat in bed too long, thinking about the dream.  Jessica's mind wandered back to the dream as she ran two buildings over to drop Raquel off at her school, only to be turned away at the door, saying that the teacher was sick.  Cursing her bad luck, and knowing that Rosa could definitely not take her to work with her, Jessica grabbed her best friend's daughter and brought her to her office, where there was already a little place for her and Juliana to play after school.

"*Why are we here?  I wanted to play at school.*"  Raquel whined.

"*You teacher couldn't come today.  Do you mind playing here today?*"  Jessica begged.

"*Do I have to?*"

"*Sorry.*"  Jessica apologized as she took the movie out of Raquel's backpack (she was bringing it to show and tell) and into the VCR in her office.  Raquel was immediately watching the movie.  She took a closer look at the box to see what Raquel was watching.  _Tarzan.  Jessica read. The dubbed version.  __Of coarse it was dubbed, Raquel, and every other kid her age can't read the subtitles yet.  Jessica thought.  She sat down behind her desk and began to grade papers, after a little while; Raquel was pulling on her skirt._

"*Tía Jessica, it's in English.  What is it saying?*" Raquel asked.  Jessica stood up and went over to look at the TV squarely.  It was a song that Disney didn't bother translating into Spanish.  Jessica backed it up

"Come stop your crying.  It will be all right" The monkey sang.

"Parada venida su gritando todo correcto." Jessica translated.

"Just take my hand.  Hold it tight"

"Toma justa mi asimiento de la mano él firmemente."

"I will protect you from all around you."

"Le protegeré contra todo alrededor usted."  Jessica continued to translate for the little girl.  But as the chorus came around, she felt that she didn't need to hear the rest of the song to translate it.  She knew it by heart. It was the very song in the dream from the night before.  It was a memory.  

"' causa usted estará en mi corazón 

sí, usted estará en mi corazón

a partir de este día encendido

 ahora y por siempre más"  Jessica sang for Raquel.  It was a memory.  She remembered something.  But it was more than the song as she thought about it.  She was sitting in a rocking chair, watching a man holding a young child.  The room was painted pink, making Jessica assume that the infant was a girl.  And the man was singing that song to her.  She got up and walked to the man.  "I love you guys both."  She said, kissing both of them.  Jessica slid back into her seat as she remembered this.  She had another daughter she realized.


	7. Speechless

Jessica reached for her phone within an instant.  It had barely sunk in, but she had to call someone, anyone.  She dialed Rosa's work number, but Rosa wasn't there.  Jessica began to daydream, and tried to remember more.  Her other daughter had to be older than six, because she had to have been born before she met Rosa.  Jessica tried to picture what she looked like, but all she could see was Juliana.  Juliana, the daughter she knew.  Juliana, her savior.  Juliana, everything she had ever known to be true.  And not knowing what the father looked like, made picturing the other daughter hard.  For all she knew Juliana and the other daughter could have different fathers, but she doubted that.  Jessica got tired of calling her other daughter, her other daughter, so until that day in the far future when she would finally figure out who she was, who her family was, Jessica decided to name her.  She picked up the closest book off the shelf, and fingered through it.  But a name that she had considered for Juliana when she was born stuck out more.  Alexis.  The only reason she didn't name Juliana Alexis, was Rosa found it very hard to pronounce.  Jessica tried to remember more.  But the memories wouldn't come.  She just kept reliving the same memory.  The song triggered the memory.  She wondered if Raquel would mind if she rewound the movie and listened to that song again.

 She didn't have time to linger long on the thought.  Her office hours had started, and there was a constant flow of students needing her help.  Even Raquel could tell that she needed stay out of the way it was so busy.

"*What am I going to do with you while I teach?*" Jessica asked Raquel as she went to open the door for yet another student.

Raquel stared up at her blankly and yawned.  "*Movie again?*" She asked.

"*Sure, but you'll go to sleep when I ask you to?*"

Raquel nodded. "Uh, huh."

"*Good, because I need you to take a nap while I teach.*"

"*Ok.*"

Jessica allowed the next student in, while Raquel watched _Tarzan for the third time that day.  When the time came, she scooped up the already sleeping Raquel into her arms, and carried her with some blankets to the classroom.  After arranging a little bed under the desk, Jessica went about preparing for her students to arrive.  Raquel barely stirred.  Someone entered the room, and Jessica looked up from the textbook.  _

"*Excuse me, are you Prof. English?*" The man asked.

Jessica looked into his eyes.  They felt familiar.   "*Uh, yes I am.*"

"*Good, I found the right room.  My name is Eric Weiss, I am the one who had asked to sit in on one of your classes.*"

"*Oh right, the prospective teacher.*"

"*Yes.*"

"*What would you teach?*"

Weiss didn't know what to say.   This part wasn't rehearsed.  Vaughn had only asked him to sit on the class as a prospective teacher to see if she still acted the same.  "English."  He said, not bothering with Spanish.

"That makes sense.  You have a very good accent."

"I actually grew up in Las Angles.  I just decided to move to Barcelona because that is where my wife lives."  He lied.  He saw something in her eye as he mentioned LA and wife. 

Jessica didn't know who this man was.  He felt familiar.  But she couldn't place him.  At first she thought he was a former student, but when he mentioned that he was from LA, it just wasn't possible.  _Maybe he looks like someone I know.  He kinda looks like Luis' brother.  She thought.  "You can sit back there."  She said.  Jessica peeked under her desk at the still sleeping Raquel.  Jessica said a quick prayer that she remained asleep, as the students began to nosily file in.  She began to teach her lesson.  As the class got closer to the end, there came a knock on her door, and Rosa came flying.  Jessica pointed to her desk, and Rosa ran over to it.  She picked up the bundle that was her daughter and went flying out again.  Jessica watched the Weiss mutter something under his breath, as her students began to ask questions on what that was all about._

In the unmarked white van outside the building Vaughn was cursing.  A little girl, about three had been taken out of the room.  Weiss could only assume that it was Sydney's daughter.  Vaughn quickly did the math.  There was no way in heaven or hell that girl could be his daughter.  He didn't move on after Sydney disappeared, so why did he assume that she would, especially if she didn't remember anything? "Are you sure man?"  He asked.

"No." Weiss muttered.  "Hold on, one of the girls is asking if it is her daughter."  Weiss turned up his microphone.

"¿Era eso su hija que ella se llevó a cabo de aquí?"  A girl asked.

"We are in English class, I will answer your question when you ask in English."  She instructed.  

The girl nodded, and thought for a moment before she continued.  "Was that you daughter that her carried out?*"  She asked, her English broken, but clear.

"Was that your daughter that she carried out."  Jessica corrected.  "No, that wasn't.  I was just babysitting for a little bit.  My daughter is 5."  She spoke slowly, to allow the class to understand her.

"What was girl's name?"  The first girl asked.

"That was Raquel."

"How old?" 

"Three."

"What is your daughter name?"  Another girl asked.

"Juliana."  Jessica didn't allow anymore questions on the matter, as she began to teach the lesson again.

"Did you catch that man?"  Eric said.

"Yeah, thanks."  He sunk into his chair.  There was no one else in the van with him.  Everyone else had decided to go out touristing while they had some down time.  Vaughn was glad about that.  It meant that he could linger on the thought longer than if he was surrounded by other guys.  Juliana was five years old.  Vaughn put two and two together.  There was a very high chance that this Juliana was his daughter as well.  Juliana had to be closer to five and a half, but parents don't say that.  They just give the general age.  Alexandra was eight and three quarters, she told everyone that.  But Vaughn just called her eight.  So if the timing was right, Juliana could be his daughter.  They had been trying before her mission.  It was possible.  Vaughn sat there, staring at the panel of dials on the side of the van until Weiss came back out to the van.

"That was probably one of the most exciting classes I have ever had since John Honk blew up the sink in tenth grade chemistry." Weiss said, the second he got into the van.

"She's that good of a teacher?"  Vaughn asked hopeful.

"She's good.  I found the lesson boring but that is because I knew all of that stuff.  No, what I found out is what made it so interesting."

"I know."

"You look like you're still in shock."

"Probably because I still am."

"She is still really beautiful."

"Juliana or Sydney?"

"Sydney.  I haven't seen anything of Juliana yet."

"We're going to the apartment tonight, right?"

"We were planning on tomorrow, but if you really want to go tonight, I can understand."

"Thanks."

"Another daughter.  Wow."

"I don't even know how to explain everything to Alexandra."

"Start with, Alexandra this is your sister."

"That is what makes it so hard.  She doesn't know about Sydney."

"How can she not know about Sydney?  She's her mother for god sakes!"

"She's never asked what happened to her.  I think its some sort of understanding that her mother doesn't live with us."

"But you talk to her about it, right.  I mean she knows that Sydney is alive."

"I don't know.  We talk about Sydney, a lot.  She asks about what she was like, and I tell her, she asks all sorts of questions, but what happened to her never came up."

"I always knew that there was something odd about Alex."

"The name is Alexandra."  Vaughn sternly said.

"Right, but Alexandra is such a mouthful, can't you just get over this whole, that's Syd's nickname for her thing, and call her Al-"

"No, because Sydney is standing inside that building."

"She may look the same, she may act the same, she may have your daughter, but that woman in there knows nothing of Sydney Vaughn, or Sydney Bristow.  She knows that her names is Jessica English.  And I have been doing some research on amnesia victims, which by the way is the popular theory flying around, and the latch on hard and strong at what they know, and don't let go easily."

"I guess you're right." Vaughn said.  "But I am not going to give up hope."

"She's leaving her office in half an hour.  Would you like me to go in and see if I could get a copy of a picture of Juliana for you?"

Vaughn sat on the notion for a second.  "No, I'll wait until tonight."

"Ok."  The two sat there in silence for quite some time, before they saw Sydney leave the building.  Vaughn followed her carefully with the video camera until she was out of sight.  

"Eric, drive to the elementary school."

"Why?"

"Just do it!" 

Weiss jumped into the front seat and drove to the elementary school, where children were playing after school.  Vaughn took the camera, and looked around at every kid.  "Why did you have me drive here?"

"She's why."  Vaughn said.  He stopped the camera, where a little girl sat quietly on a grassy hill, coloring in a coloring book.

"She looks just like Alexandra."  Weiss said.

"I think that's Juliana."

"I swear, if I didn't know about Juliana, I would have thought you brought Alexandra with you."  

"She should be picking her up soon."  Sure enough, Vaughn watched as Sydney walked over to the little girl on the hill, and pick her up.  

Vaughn was speechless.


	8. Pictures

This chapter is long.  Wasn't anything I could do about that.  And you must know that this is kinda out of order, but it fit here the best.  So picture where Vaughn is time wise, and back it up a day or so.  So the past two chapters took place on Monday, this is on Saturday night starting off with Vaughn dropping Alexandra off.  I think you can follow that. 

Thanx to my reviewers!!!!!

*          *          *          *          *

            Alexandra didn't know how to react to the news that her father was going to drop her off at her aunt's house.  She thought she was lucky.  Her dad worked at a high school, meaning he didn't have to travel for work.  So why was she suddenly thrust into her Aunt Francie's house, she wondered.  She even had to share a room with Calvin for a couple of nights.  She didn't even know how long her dad was going to be gone.  She sighed as she fell back onto the couch.  She wanted to be at home, not at Aunt Francie's house.  Calvin had been watching her and following her since she had arrived.  He gave her a smile, and then did an over dramatic sigh, and jumped onto the couch.  "Don't jump Calvin." France scolded.  Calvin crinkled up his nose, and began to fidget.  "Hey Alexandra, could you set the table for me?" 

            "Sure."  Francie handed Alexandra a pile of plates.  It felt larger than it had to be.  "Aunt Francie, how come there is eight plates, there is only four of us."

            "Will and crew are coming over for dinner.   They had been planning on coming over for a while now.  You were just an added bonus."  

            Alexandra's sprits immediately rose.  She liked her Uncle Will, and his wife Mia was pretty cool too.  And his daughters were the coolest.  Sure, they weren't her age, but they were twins.  Mallory and Sydney were their names.  They were only five.  To a nine year old, there is something about twins that make everything special.  She would never tell Leigh (Sydney's middle name, everyone called her that) or Ally (Malory's nickname) this, but sometimes with her friends, they would play twins.  Leigh and Ally thought being twins was stupid.  But not Alexandra. She often wished she was a twin.  That way she could have someone to talk to at home besides her dad.  But that is not what she really wanted.  Alexandra really wanted a little sister.  Each year, for Christmas, when her daddy wasn't looking, Alexandra would wish to Santa for her daddy to fall in love again, and she would get a step mom, and a little sister.  Even though she didn't believe in Santa anymore, Alexandra would still write the letter and mail it.  Each year Santa never delivered.

 There was an odd sort of connection between Uncle Will and her.  Alexandra didn't know why, but she felt that it had something to do with the fact that he had named on of his daughters after her mother.  She also knew for a fact that he once loved her mother, but he got over her.  Her daddy never liked Will all that much.  Probably because he was considered the competition once.  But Alexandra always liked him.

Alexandra had fun at dinner.  Calvin knew that when Leigh and Ally were around, he wasn't going to like the games the three would play, so he would go off by himself and play, and stopped bothering Alexandra.  Will, Mia, Ally, and Leigh left at eight, leaving Alexandra sour, at no longer having Calvin by himself.  

"Bed time mister!"  Joe said, scooping his son into his arms.

"Ahhhh noooo!"  Calvin protested.

Their playful screams were still heard down the hall.

"You may want to head to be now too."  Francie said, putting a hand on Alexandra's shoulder.

"Why?  It's Saturday?  My daddy lets me stay up until nine on Saturdays."

"I know, but in this family, we go to church Sunday morning."

"I never go to church."

"But tomorrow you will.  We can't leave you here by yourself."

"I don't have a dress."

"I happen to have one I was planning to give you for your birthday, but you can have it now."

"Ok."

"Good, now go to bed you rascal you."  Alexandra ran down the hall, and got changed into her pajamas.  She was about ready to climb into her sleeping bag, when Francie came rapping at the door.

"Alexandra, your dad is on the phone and he wants to talk to you."  She said.

Alexandra went running out of the door, and down the hall where she knew the phone was.  "Hi Daddy!"  She exclaimed.

"Hey Angel!"

"Where are you?"

"I can't tell you."

"How about when?  Are you coming home tomorrow?"

"Nope.  Sorry.  We just got here.  And it is really late, so we won't be able to start until tomorrow, and then at least two days here, and then fly home."

"So three more days?"

"Three more days here, which means its more like three and a half days."

"Aww…"

"Sorry."

"But listen.  Are you one the cordless phone in the hallway?"

"Yeah?"

"Go to your sleeping bag."

"You don't have to Dad."

"But I want to.  Now go on."

"Ok."  Alexandra ran to her sleeping bag and jumped in.  "I'm in."

Very quietly Vaughn began to sing to his daughter, the very same lullaby as he had since the day she was born.

 "Night Alexandra."  He said once he was finished.

"Night Daddy.  I love you."

"I love you too."  Alexandra handed the phone to Francie who started to talk to Vaughn.  Alexandra woke up the next morning, and she took a few seconds to realize her surroundings.  There was a beautiful dress sitting on Calvin's chair waiting for her.  Alexandra squealed with delight, as she picked it up.  It was perfect for church.  She got dressed in her brand new birthday dress, and went running out to breakfast.  "Thank you so much Aunt Francie!"  She said, throwing her arms around Francie.

"You're welcome.  Now hurry up and eat your cereal, I want to leave soon."

"Ok."  She gobbled up her food fast, as Joe struggled to get Calvin in his little baby suit.  Alexandra found the service to be dull, but she only yawned twice.  Unlike Joe, who practically fell asleep.  Francie took Alexandra's hand after the service and led Alexandra to the Sunday School class rooms.  Alexandra quietly stood in the back waiting for the rest of the kids to come in.  The teacher was nice, but a usually loud Alexandra was quiet and reserved as they worked on the craft for the day.  They were making Christmas ornament angels.  There wasn't enough time to finish them, so they were going to finish them the next week.

"I'm not going to be here next week."  Alexandra quietly said.

The teacher understood.  She went into the cupboard and pulled out the rest of the materials.  "Here is all of the other things you're going to need to finish this.  Remember how I asked everyone to bring a picture of someone they consider an angel in their lives.  So you can do the same."

"Thank  you."

"You're welcome.  Do you know who you want to use?"

"Yes."  With that, Alexandra went running out to leave with Francie and Joe.  

"What do you have there?"  Joe asked.

"We were making angels, and I didn't get to finish mine.  She let me take home the stuff so that I could finish it at home."

"That is very nice."

"Aunt Francie, do you have any pictures of my mom?"  Alexandra asked, as they walked through the front door of the house.  "Ones that I might be able to cut up?"

"Sure, somewhere.  Why?"

"You know how we made angels?"  Francie nodded, "Well, we're supposed to put a picture of someone who is an angel to us, and my mom is an angel, since she's in heaven."

Francie froze.  He never told her.  She could not believe that Vaughn had never told Alexandra the truth.  True, it wasn't a pretty truth, but that was where he was now.  Bringing home a mother she thinks is dead.  "Who told you that?"  Francie asked, carefully choosing her words.

"I kinda figured it out on my own.  You know, she hasn't been around since I was two."

"Ok."  Francie went into her bedroom, and pulled out a hat box of photos.  "Here, you go, you can flip through these if you'd like."

"Thanks."  Alex propped herself on her knees on the chair and took out a small handful of photos, to begin looking through.   Francie watched as this girl picked through photos of her, and Alexandra's mother.  She realized that it had been too long since she as well had looked through those photos.  There were things to do, but sometimes, bonding with your best friend's daughter of old pictures takes prescience.  Alexandra looked up at the older woman's presence at the table.  Alex had already put aside a small pile of pictures that she liked.  "Those are the ones I might use."  Francie picked them up and looked at them.  Most of them were just close ups of Sydney that really captured her true spirit.  Alexandra picked up a new photo from the box, and gave a laugh.  "Tell me about this one Aunt Francie."  She begged. 

Francie took one look at the photo and laughed as the happy memory came back to her.  There was her, Sydney, Will, Danny, and Charlie, and Will's girlfriend of the week.  Francie could never remember their names.  The memory came easy to her.  It was from one of the good old days.  Before Danny died, before Charlie was discovered cheating, before anyone except Sydney knew about SD-6 and the CIA.   They were covered in mud, standing out in the rain, smiles larger than the Grand Canyon spread across their faces.  Danny was looking at Sydney with so much love, that when she saw this picture, she couldn't believe that Sydney believed that Vaughn loved her more than Danny ever did. "This picture here was taken after we went to the park on Easter.  It was something we did every Easter.  We would go to the park and play a game of soccer.  Only it started to rain.  No one wanted to quit because of a little rain, so we played.  At the end we were so covered in mud.  We just had to have a picture of this, so some poor person walking their dog took this from this."

"Who are these people?"

"Um our boyfriends and Will's girlfriend of the week."

"Ok."  Francie continued to tell Alexandra stories behind each picture.  At long last, she found the perfect picture.  It was just a picture of Sydney.  Francie couldn't tell where it was, but all she knew, is that there wasn't a more perfect picture.  Alexandra went about working on her angel.  

*Ring* Francie ran for the phone.  "Hello?"  She said.

"Hey Francie."  Vaughn's voice said back.  "I do believe my little angel is at your house."

"She is, but I need to talk to you first."  Francie went into the bedroom.

            "Ok."

            "She doesn't know that Sydney is alive."

            "I know.  It just hasn't come up."

            "You kinda need to tell her."

            "I will, we're only setting up surveillance today.  We won't actually be able to see her until tomorrow."

            "You need to tell her."

            "We're not sure that we have the right Jessica English"

            "Just tell her."  Francie came out of the bedroom and handed the phone to Alexandra.  Francie didn't hear the rest of the conversation.  Instead she picked up the mud picture and put it in the bottom of her picture box.  She didn't need pictures to remind her of Sydney.  Alexandra was all she need.  Plus, she had complete faith that this time, Vaughn wasn't coming home empty handed.


	9. Celebration

*          *          *          *          *

            Jessica took her daughter home, without their normal stop at the playground, which made Juliana very angry.

            "*I wanted to stop.*" Juliana whined.

            "I'm sorry; I need to talk to Tía Rosa.  And it is important."  Jessica answered, speaking English to her daughter, hurrying her onto the bus.

            "*You did it again.*" Juliana said.

            "*Did what?*"

            "*Talkeded to me in English.*"

            "*I'm sorry.  I said I need to talk to Tía about something important.*"

            "*Oh.*" Juliana sank into her seat.  "*Can we stop tomorrow?*" She begged.

            "*Yeah, sure.  I promise.*"Although Juliana got the satisfaction of knowing that the next day she would stop at the playground, Juliana continued to sulk to show her mother her displeasure.  Jessica ran into the house, and ran up to her bedroom.  Juliana thought her mother was insane as she shut the door.  Jessica opened a small box that rested on top of her closet shelf.  Inside she neatly carried out a few pieces of clothing.  And set them onto her bed.  Underneath it all was a folded up name tag.  She picked it up and examined it carefully.  It was a simple name tag, consisting of only her name and a blue border.  She heard the soft knock of Rosa.

            "*Juliana said you guys didn't stop at the playground because you needed to talk to me.  What's up?*" The concerned friend asked.

            "*I had a memory today.*" She simply said, fingering the name tag.

            Rosa jumped off her seat on the bed, and hugged her best friend.  "*That is so great!*" She said.  "*Now tell me about it.*" She demanded.

            "*I was in a nursery.  There was a lot of pink.  I was sitting in a rocking chair, and there was a man standing by the door, holding a baby.  I think it's a girl because well, all the pink.  He was singing the girl some lullaby.  And the whole reason I got the memory was because for the umpteenth time that day, I stood and watched Raquel watch that Tarzan movie she likes so much, and I translated that song the monkey…*"

            "*Gorilla.*" Rosa corrected.

            "*Gorilla, sorry sings to Tarzan, and that was the song that the guy was singing to the baby.  And then I got up kissed both of them, and said I loved them.*"

            Rosa gasped.  "*Do you know what this means Jessica?*"

            "*I'm pretty sure I do.  I have spent all afternoon thinking about it.*"

            "*You have another daughter, and a husband.*"

            "*We already knew about the husband.*"

            "*And I sort of guessed you had a family.*"

            "*You did?  How come you never told me?*"

            "*Because you would obsess. Now, I know that you already thought of a name for this daughter of yours.  Tell me.*"

            "*You do know me too well.  And I am not changing the name because you like something better.  Because this probably isn't even close to her real name…*"

            "*Oh get on with it!*"

            "Alexis."  Jessica said.

            "*That was the one you considered for Juliana, isn't it?*"

            "*Yes, and I have always liked it.*"

            "*So what are you going to do to find her?*"

            "*See, that's the thing.  I don't even know if that is a real memory.*"

            "*Are you not going to look for her?*"

            "*I don't think so.  But it pains me to think that she might be real and she might be out there without her mother, but this I know is real, and if I search, I might forget about Juliana.  My memory is terrible you know.*"

            "*Juliana has your keys by the way.*"

            Jessica chuckled.  "*See, I can barely remember my keys.*"

            "*It's just a side effect of amnesia.  When are you going to therapy to help your memory again?*"

            "*Never.  I don't need to pay someone to tell me I forget things.  I can barely afford to fix my car.*"

            "*Well, to lighten your spirits, how about you and I go out to dinner to celebrate your memory.  My treat.  I'll have Luis watch Raquel and Juliana, and you and I can go celebrate?*"

            Jessica smiled.  "*That sounds great.  Just call me down when you're ready to go.*"

            "*Ok, but you got to promise me you'll put that box away.  You are Jessica English.  That is what your name tag said.*"  

            Jessica couldn't help but beam at her best friend.  She felt truly lucky to have a friend that was as hospitable as Rosaline.  When she often couldn't figure out who she was, Rosa would always be the one to reassure her that she was Jessica English.  Very neatly, Jessica put the clothing back into the box.  She didn't realize how dusty it had gotten on the top shelf.  Before placing the name tag on top of the clothing, she carefully dusted the box off.  She laid the name tag on top of the sleek dress, and put the lid on the box.  The air came out of the box with a final sounding whoosh.

            "*Jessica, lets go!*"  

            She was excited about the night.  She and Rosa hadn't done anything like that since she had remembered that she was fluent in French almost three years prior.  Since then, there hadn't been any more memories, or realizations.  The two grabbed their coats, and ran out the door laughing at 7:00.

            Vaughn looked at his watch.  8:00 "They should be home by now, don't you think Eric?"  

            Weiss was eating his sandwich looked over at his friend.  "Yeah.  Only crazies like us are up this late." He said sarcastically.  Vaughn turned on his com link, and opened the door.  

            "I'm going in.  I'll see you in a bit."  He said.  Weiss turned on the video feed, and saw Vaughn's movement.

            "Slow down, this isn't a race."  Weiss said.  

            "Right."  Vaughn said.  "Do you realize who is on the other side of the door?" Vaughn stopped dead in his tracks at the thought.

            "Is it just now hitting you?"

            "First time it has really felt real.  She's in there."

            "Yeah, Jessica English.  Keep moving man."

            "No, Sydney Vaughn."

            "I think I've told you this before.  She may not know she is Sydney Vaughn, or who you are talking about.  Do you no what you're going to say to her?"

            "No."  There was an eerie sense of silence between the two best friends.

            "Glide more when you walk.  You're making me sick."

            "I am gliding, I'm just so nervous, I'm shaking."

            "Calm down man, I'm trying to keep my dinner, not lose it."

            "Got it."  Eric watched the monitor, as it got less shaky.  

            "Thanks, remember, I'm right behind you."

            "You're in the van."

            "But I'm watching and listening to your every move."

            "That sounds like something from a horror movie."  Vaughn gave a small chuckle.  That was Weiss's intentions.  He had wanted to make Vaughn laugh to ease his tensions.  The video monitor stopped, and looked directly at a brown wooden door.

            "Mike, you've been standing at the front door for several minutes now. You need to ring the door bell now."  

            Vaughn took a deep breath, and rang the door bell.  He could hear the joyful shouts of children inside racing to get the door.  The door opened and he looked down to see a three year old staring at him.  Vaughn crouched down to get eye level with the little girl.  "*Hi there, I'm looking for Jessica English.*" The little girl just stared up at him.

            "*Raquel, go back to watching the movie with Juliana.*" A masculine voice said.  Vaughn stood up. He was eye to eye with a tall man.  It took all of Vaughn's strength not to punch him.  He could be married to Sydney.  Sydney was his wife. He looked around for Juliana at the sound of her name.  But she was in another room. "*Can I help you?*" He then asked Vaughn.

            "*My name is Michael Vaughn, I'm looking for Jessica English.*" He said.

            "*She and my wife actually are not here right now.  They called a little bit ago, and promised to be home within then minutes.  Would you like to come in?*" The man said.  Vaughn took a sigh of relief when he found out that the man at the door was married to someone else, not his wife.

            "*Thank you.*" Vaughn stepped inside the house. 

            "*My name is Luis Gonzales.*"

            "*Michael Vaughn.*"

            "*How do you know Jessica?*"

            Vaughn looked around the small kitchen nervously.  "*Not to be rude or anything, but I should to talk to her first.*"

            "*Understandable.*" Luis took a seat at the oval table, and urged Vaughn to do the same.

            The two men sat in silence, waiting for Jessica and Rosa to get home.  They would occasionally smile politely at each other.  The only sounds came from the TV in the next room, where the two young children giggled at the movie.  Luis glanced up at the clock.  "*They're later than I thought they would be.  Perhaps I could have her call you tomorrow?*"  

            Vaughn looked at his watch.  He heard Weiss' voice answer for him.  "It sounds like you are a tad bit nervous.  Have her call."

            "*Yes, that would be fine.*" Vaughn pulled out a card from his pocket.  "*Could you have her call this number as soon as she gets home.  I'm only in town for a few days*"

            "*Certainly.*"

            Vaughn stood up, followed closely by Luis and walked to the door.  He paused before opening at the sight of the two little girls giggling at the cartoons.  Vaughn smiled as he remembered how every Saturday morning, Alexandra did the same.

            "*Make sure she calls quickly.*"

            "*I will, bye.*"

            "*Good bye*" Vaughn shut the door.  And walked out to Weiss waiting in the van.  "Head back to the hotel."

            "That went well."  Weiss said.

            "Sure."  As the two pulled to the stop light a block and a half away, Jessica and Rosa parked the car, and went inside their apartment.


	10. Promises

This chapter is mostly dialogue.  But you got to work with me on this time thing.  This chapter kinda goes into the "future" a bit.  Not by more than a couple of hours.  It is hard to work with both LA and Barcelona at the same time….

To those people who are so cool and review this little story, I thank thee.  From the bottom of my heart, I really, really appreciate it.  

Thanks so much to my beta!  Laura, thanks so much!

*          *          *          *          *

Rosa and Jessica came into the house, and were immediately crowded around by their respective daughters.  "*Miss us much?*" Jessica asked Juliana.

            "*No, but Tío Luis is making us go to bed.*"

            "*It's bed time.*"

            "*But you guys let us stay up later sometimes.*"

            "*Not on school nights.*"  Jessica gently led Juliana to her bedroom, where she helped her get ready for bed.

            "*Jessica, a guy stopped by earlier.   He wanted you to call him when you got home.*"  Luis said.  He handed Jessica Vaughn's card.

            "Michael C. Vaughn."  Jessica read.  Rosa looked over her friend's shoulder.  "*That name seems familiar.*"  She said.

            "*Old student?*"  Rosa offered.

            "*No, it's obviously French.*"  Jessica kept looking at the card.  "*Vaughn.  Vaughn?  Vaughn.  Where have I heard that name before?*"

            "*He said call quickly because he is only in town for a few short days.*"

            "*Ok.*" Jessica went up to her room to use the phone up there.  She dialed the first 6 numbers and then paused.  She took a deep breath before pushing the final number.  It rang twice before she heard someone pick up.

            "Hello?"  A deep voice said.

            "*May I speak to Michael Vaughn please?*"

            "*Is this Jessica English?*"

            "*Yes.*"

            "You're talking to him."  Jessica was taken aback at the English, but she quickly realized that it made sense.  He answered in English.

            "I heard you stopped by my house, looking for me."

            "Yeah."

            "And you wanted me to call you when I got back."

            "Yeah."

            "I'm calling."

            Vaughn didn't know what to say.  "I have something important to say, but I need to tell you in person.  Perhaps over coffee or something tomorrow?"

            _Was he asking me out?  Jessica asked herself.  There was silence as she thought about what to say to him.  She didn't know who he really was, but something in his voice, something in his name, something in her heart told her that she could trust him. "Lunch.  If you could stop by my office tomorrow, you can tell me what you have to say over some lunch."_

            "I'll stop by noonish."

            "Ok.  DO you know where my office is?"

            "Yes."

            "Ok.  I'll see you tomorrow."

            "Ok. Bye."

            "Bye." Jessica hung up the phone, unsure of what just happened.  Did she just set up a date with a complete stranger for lunch tomorrow?  

            Alexandra waited by the phone for her father to call. The past three nights he had called mid-afternoon because of the time change.  He had promised that he would call her every night to sing her to sleep.  Or, at least the memory of him calling her to fall asleep to.  But he never called her. And Alexandra hadn't forgotten about his promise to her.  She sat next to the hall table, looking up at the phone.  If it rang, she would jump up and be the first to answer, and only assumed that it was her father.  But each call proved to be a disappointment for her.  Francie tried to distract the young girl for over two hours with games and other activities.  But Alexandra wouldn't pay attention.  She was always staring at the phone.  It broke Francie's heart to see her sitting by the phone, silent tears falling into her lap, as Alexandra quietly wept.  Francie had to struggle to get Alexandra to change into her pajamas.  She was finally changed when Francie had promised to let her stay and wait by the phone for a little bit longer.

            "Alexandra, I need you to go to bed now."  Francie kneeled to get eye level.  She put her hand gently on Alexandra's shoulder.

            "He never called Aunt Francie."  She said, looking up at the older woman.

            "I know honey."  Alexandra just proceeded to cry harder.    "I know."  

            Francie caught Joe's eye, and signaled him over to where they were sitting on the floor.  He didn't need words.  He saw his wife's request in her eyes.  He picked up Alexandra, and carried her down the hall.  Her arms flung around his neck to ease her weight.  "Thank you Uncle Joe."  She said, as she was gently laid on the bed.  

            "Goodnight Alexandra."  Francie and Joe called.

"I'll get you to school tomorrow."  Francie promised.  She sat down beside Alexandra and tucked her in.  "Sleep tight."

            "Thank you.  Goodnight Aunt Francie."  Alexandra said.  Francie smiled at the girl, and turned off the light.  She began to shut the door behind her, when a small voice stopped her.  "Aunt Francie?"  

            "What is it sweetie?"

            "If Daddy calls, will you wake me up?"  She begged.

            "Of course."  With a smile, her promise was set in stone.  Francie shut the door and went into the living room.  

            "She's pretty upset huh?"  Joe said.

            "Yeah, promise me this."

            "Anything." 

            "If you ever go out of town, and promise to call, call."

            "Why?"

            "Because watching Alexandra get all upset about Mike not calling, reminded me of the day that Sydney never called.  Mike was about that upset, more so, and he could show it.  And Syd never came home that time."

            Joe pulled his wife into a warm embrace.  "I promise."

            Francie had long since been in bed when she heard the phone ring.  "My god Mike!  Now?"  She whined as she leaned over to answer the phone. "Hello?"  She weakly said.

            "I know it is really late Francie, but last night I was busy all night.  I called when I first got up."  Vaughn's voice said.

            "Do you realize how late it is?" 

            "One?"

            "Bingo.  What time is it there?"

            "Nine."

            "You're just getting up now?"

            "No,"  Vaughn admitted, "But I had some really important things I could do before I could call."

            "Fine."

            "Can you get me Alexandra please?"

            "Yeah."  Francie struggled to get out of bed.  "She was waiting by the phone since five.  When I finally got her to bed, she was pretty upset.  It's not like you.  Its like the Mike I knew when Sydney died."

            "She didn't die.  I'm going to have lunch with her today."

            Francie stopped dead in her tracks.  "You saw her."

            "No, but I talked to her on the phone."

            "That is really great.  Hold on a sec."

            From Vaughn's end, he could hear the sound of sheets moving, as Francie woke Alexandra up.  "Daddy?"

            "Hey Angel.  Are  you sleeping ok?"

            "Yeah.  You never called yesterday."

            "I know.  I'm so sorry."

            "When are you coming home Daddy."

            "At least two more days."

            Alexandra was about to cry.  "That is what you said yesterday."

            "That is what I thought yesterday."

            "Daddy, if you don't come home soon, even Granny will beat you here."

            "Oh, that is right, she's coming soon."

            "Yeah."

            "How about this, if I am forced to stay here and am not able to come back before Granny comes home, you and Granny can stay at our house."

            "What?   You're not going to come home?"

            "No!  I will come home.  But you got to understand Alexandra, I have to be here for a little longer."

            "Ok Daddy."

            "Guess what time it is?"

            "What?"

            "Time for me to sing." 

            Although he couldn't see it, Vaughn could feel his daughter smiling as he sang their song.  "Be good.  And sleep tight."

            "Ok Daddy.  Come home soon."

            "I promise Angel.  I love you."

            "Love you too."

            "Ok, can you give me to Aunt Francie?"

            "Ok."

            "Your mother is coming soon?"

            "Yeah, next Monday."

            "You will be back by then."

            "Hopefully with Sydney."

            "Right now, you have a daughter who needs you."

            "I'm not doing that again."

            "Good.  Now let me get some sleep."

            "Bye."

            "Bye."


	11. The Heart Never Forgets

I can officially say that this is my longest chapter I have ever written.  And I am very proud of myself.  I kinda liked writing a long chapter.  I don't know if I'll do it again, because not a lot of the rest of the story works well with long chapters.  Oh well.  Tell me what you think.  And ideas for where I should be taking this, I would really appreciate them.  Actually for any of my stories!  

*          *          *          *          *

            Jessica was up half the night, nervous about lunch the next day.  As she got Raquel and Juliana ready for school, she had almost forgotten about the lunch.  She ran Raquel to day care, and then took Juliana by the hand, and the two sprinted to her school.

            "*Mama?*" Juliana said, before she went into her classroom.

            "*What is it sweetie?*"

            "*I don't feel good.*" 

            Jessica took the back of her head, and put it to her daughter's forehead.  "*You don't feel hot.  Do you think that you can make it through the day?  There won't be anyone to take care of you.*"

            Juliana shrugged her shoulders.

            "*Ok.  Why don't you try to stay here?  If by lunch, you're not feeling better, go to the nurse's office and have her call me.  Ok?*"

            Juliana nodded.  She gave her mother a hug, and then went into her classroom.

            "Why did I say lunch?  I know she'll want to leave at lunch.  I have that thing with that guy at lunch."  Jessica muttered to herself as she walked to her office.  "After lunch, it wouldn't be so bad.  I don't teach or anything today."

            "*You know, talking to yourself is the first sign of insanity.*"   Shana Allenson entering Jessica's office.

            Jessica smiled looking up at the fellow language teacher.  Shana taught French, and English.  "It's also a sign that you're nervous."  Shana then said, switching into a language that she knew Jessica was more familiar and comfortable with.  "So, tell me, what you nervous about are."

            "I think I have a lunch date with a guy I've never met before."

            "Is he hot?"

            "I have never seen him before."

            "Then why did you agree to do this date."

            "I don't know.  His name felt familiar.  His voice felt familiar."

            "Maybe part of your past?"

            "I don't know."

            "So you're nervous about that."

            "And that Juliana isn't feeling all that great, and I still sent her to school because I didn't have anyplace for her to go, and I told her to call me at lunch if she still didn't feel well."

            "You double booked your lunch."

            "Yeah."

            "Well, if Juliana calls, I could keep her in my office."

            "Your office?  As in the one you won't let your own kids into because there is so much stuff that you're afraid that something will get knocked down and hit them."

            "Ok,ok, ok.  I'll pick her up from school for you and bring her here."

            "Thanks."

            "I got office hours now.  Call me if you need me to do that for you."

            "Thanks Shana."

            Jessica picked up a pen, and a stack of papers and began to grade them.  She had barely started the second paper when her office phone rang.

            "Jessica English."

            "*Ms. English, your daughter Juliana threw up in class.*"

            "*Is she ok?*"

            "*She threw up and is running a slight fever.*" The nurse repeated.

            Jessica looked at her clock.  It was only 10:20.  The Michael guy was coming at noon.  "*I'll be right over to pick her up.*"

            "*Thank you.*" Jessica hung up the phone.  She picked up her purse, and left her office.

            "*Mommy, I tried to make it to lunch, I really did.*" Juliana cried upon seeing her mother.

            "*I know sweetie.  There are some things you just can't control.*"

            "*Are we going home?*"

            "*I'm sorry sweetie, I have to be at my office at least until after lunch.  Then we'll see if I can go home.*"

            "*Ok.*" Jessica made a bed out of their coats on the floor in her office.  Juliana immediately went to sleep.  At noon, Jessica heard a soft knock on her door.  Shaking, she got up and answered the door.  

            "Are you Michael Vaughn?"  She asked, ushering him into her office.  Her heart skipped a beat, or two, or three.  Oh, who was she kidding?  Her heart stopped beating until he was no longer looking at her with the intense green eyes that she had only seen in one other person.  Juliana.  

            Vaughn was speechless.  He hadn't seen, or talked to Sydney, a.k.a. Jessica English in so long.  She didn't look as if she aged.  The only signs of aging on her was curled up in a ball on the floor in her office.  Juliana did not go unnoticed to Vaughn.  It took him a minute to answer her question. "Y-y-yeah."  He finally stuttered.

            The two sat uneasily looking each other in their office.  "You look familiar."  She finally said, studding his face.

            "I-I-I do?"

            "Yeah."  She looked at him some more.  "Did we used to know each other?"

            Vaughn took a deep breath.  "Actually, that is why I'm here."

            "I was right."

            "Yeah.  I don't know how to even start this."

            "You are from the States."

            "Yeah.  Listen, this may be hard for you to hear."

            "Not here."  Jessica said.  

            "What?"

            "My daughter got sick during school today.  What ever you are going to tell me, I want to know without her around."  

            "Does she speak English?"

            "No."

            "Then we will only talk in English.  She can't understand us."  Jessica looked at Vaughn with much curiosity.  

            "Ok then."  

            Vaughn stood up from his chair and began to pace the room.  "I don't even know where to begin. It has taken me six years to find you.  I've driven everyone crazy to find you.  I almost forgot about Alexandra when she was little.  God!  I even did that yesterday.  She almost had my head.  But look at you Sydney.  You are still as beautiful as that day when you left.  I must sound like a babbling idiot."

            "Sydney?  You called me Sydney."

            "Oh my God!  I didn't mean to call you Sydney just yet.  There are so many things that should come first."

            "My name is Sydney."

            "Yes."

            "How do you know that?"

            Vaughn sat down in his chair again, and looked Sydney (A/N Jessica is Sydney (if you never got that) and from now on is going to be called Sydney) in the eye.  "I am your husband."  Sydney didn't say anything.  She just looked at Vaughn bewildered.  Vaughn understood, and uneasily sat down in his chair.  He just watched Sydney stare at him.  "Are you ok?"

            "Hold on, let me get the facts straight."

            "Ok."

"My name is Sydney."

            "Sydney Bristow Vaughn to be exact."

            "I am not Jessica English."

            "No."

            "Why then do I have a name tag from a party of some sort that says Jessica English on it?"

            "It's a complicated story, best to cover on a different day."

            "Ok.  And we're married."

            "Yes."  Suddenly Sydney burst out laughing.  "What is so funny?"  Vaughn asked.

            "This!  Everything!  What you just told me!"

            "But it is all true."

            "It's been six years, why didn't you come sooner?"

            "We couldn't find you."

            "Couldn't find me?"

            "Yes."

            Sydney began to laugh again.  "This is funny."

            "What can I do to make you believe me?"

            "Provide me with proof."

            "I can't right now."

            "That is what I figured."

            "I'm sorry."

            "I know you can't provide hard evidence, but I believe that I knew you."  Sydney said.  

            "How so?"

            "When you walked into my office, there was immediately something familiar about you.  My heart skipped a beat.  And if there is one thing I have learned over six years of not knowing my past, is that the heart never forgets."

            "The heart never forgets."  Vaughn quietly repeated to himself.

            "This is a lot to take in.  And I'm not sure I believe it all."

            "I'm sure of it."

            There was a grumble from the room.  Vaughn looked embarrassed as he realized how hungry he was.  "Sorry, I didn't realize how long ago breakfast was.  Would you like to go to the cafeteria with me and get some lunch?"

            "I'd love to, but…"

            "I understand.  I'll go and get something for us."            

            "Thank you."  Sydney reached for her purse to give him some money.

            "No, today lunch is on me."

            "Thank you.  Let me write down what I'd like."

            "Do mind if I could see if I still know what you like?"  Vaughn hoped he still knew Sydney's favorite foods.  "Maybe you might believe that we were married."

            Sydney smiled at the thought.  "Sure, but knowing what I like to eat, doesn't prove we were married, just that you knew me really well."  She propped her head up on her fist, as she leaned back in her chair.  That was a lot of information to take in.  She wasn't Jessica English anymore.  She was Sydney Vaughn.  But she had to admit that she liked the name Sydney Vaughn so much better.  She looked at Juliana, and pushed some of her hairs behind her daughter's ear.  

            Juliana stirred, at the jester of love her mother had done.  "Mama?"

            "*Yes?*"

            "*Can you get me some water?*"

            "*Ok.  I'll be right back.  I don't want you to go anywhere.*"

            "*I won't*"

            "*I'll be right back.*"

            Sydney picked up a mug, and went into the hallway to the water fountain.  She looked up into the metal backing, and looked at her distorted reflection.  The reflection of Sydney Vaughn, not Jessica English.  When the cup was filled she went into her office where she saw Juliana playing on her computer.

            "*Feeling better?*"

            "*No.*"

            "*Not sleepy anymore?*"

            "*No.*"

            "*Ok, well, here's your water.*"

            "*Thank you.*" Juliana took the mug with two hands and sipped the water.

            "Sydney, I got the food."  Vaughn said when he came into the office again.  He saw mother and daughter sitting playing a computer solitaire game.

            "*Who are you?*" Juliana asked.

            "*Juliana, say hello to my friend, Michael Vaughn.*"  

            "*Hello.*" She said.

            "Friend Sydney?"  Vaughn said.

            "Not yet.  It is hard for me to process right now.  Can't imagine if she found out now.  Besides, I just know that I knew you once."

            "Ok."

            "*What did you say Mommy?*"

            "*Not now.*"

            "*Please?*"

            "*No.  What I needed to say to Mr. Vaughn, I didn't want you to hear.*"

            "*Why?*"

            "*Because it was grown up talk.*"

            "*Oh.*"

            "*Why don't you go put in a movie?*" Sydney said.  Juliana thought on it for a minute, and then jumped (unenthusiastically, but still jumped) off her mother's lap, and walked to the TV and put one of the two movies that lived in the office on.  While singing dishes played out in front of Juliana, Sydney and Vaughn had a chance to talk.

            "I got you a chicken salad."

            "How did you know it was my favorite?

            "It used to be your favorite."

            "Still is."  They didn't say much as they ate.  The two just looked at each other intently.

            "She looks just like Alexandra." Vaughn commented, looking at Juliana.

            "Who is Alexandra?"

            "Our daughter."  He said.

            "I was right."

            "Excuse me?"

            "Yesterday I had this memory, my first in years, and there was a little girl in it, and I assumed that she was my daughter.  Do you have any pictures of her?"

            "Yeah."  Vaughn pulled his wallet out, and pulled out two pictures from where he kept his bills.  He looked at them with love, and then handed them to Sydney.

            Sydney took the first one, and smiled.  She looked at Alexandra's soccer picture, and lingered at the sight. "They do look alike."  She said.  

            "Yeah, they really do."

            Sydney then put the other picture on top, and her smile faded for a minute.  It was of her, and Vaughn, and a young Alexandra.  She didn't say anything as she looked at the picture.  "When was this taken?"

            "Two days before you disappeared."

            Sydney continued to look at the photo.  "It's starting to feel real.  I'm starting to believe you."

            "Real?"

            "Yeah, well, you know, when you first came in, I wasn't sure I could believe you."  She handed the photo back to Vaughn, who put them both into his wallet.

            "Pictures can be faked."

            "But the heart never forgets."

            "You keep saying that."

            "I have three memories that take place before six years ago.  One sitting on the couch talking to someone probably my best friend, one meeting someone in a warehouse someone, and the last of Alexandra.  And if there is one thing I have learned, it takes something powerful for me to remember, and all of those memories obviously aren't memories of the head, but memories of the heart, because the heart never forgets."

            "The person you were talking to was probably Francie, your best friend since college, or Will, your other best friend from high school.  The person you were meeting at the warehouse was me.  Unless there was someone else you were meeting at a warehouse."

            "Why did we meet at a warehouse?"

            "Ties into the whole Jessica English thing."

            Juliana looked up at her mother's name.  But when Sydney and Vaughn noticed that she was looking, the conversation stopped.  Juliana looked irritated that her mother was hiding information from her, but turned back to her movie.  "Just how complicated was my life?"

            "Worse than a corn maze a mile high, and five miles wide and ten miles tall."

            "That is really complicated.  

"But after we got married, it gets a whole lot simpler."

            "Tell me."

            "I'd love to but…"

            "But what?"

            "It will take a while, and I have to get back to my crew before then."

            "Crew?"

            "Its-"

            "Complicated?  That is what I figured."

            "Syd?"

            "It's ok, really."

            "I'd ask you to dinner tomorrow, but I am being pushed by a number of people to go home tomorrow.  One of which is Alexandra.  How about dinner tonight?"

            Sydney was flabbergasted.  "Uh sure?"

            "Ok, I'll pick you up at six."

            "Um, six thirty is better for me."

            "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

            Sydney smiled, as Vaughn left the office.

            "*Mommy, who was that man?*"  Juliana asked.

            "*Someone I'll introduce to you more formally later.*" Juliana was still not satisfied with that answer, but she knew that was as far as she was going to get.  That night, over dinner, Vaughn told Sydney her story.  Every turn, every twist that he knew of.  Sydney just sat back in her chair, eating, and trying to believe everything.   Vaughn spent almost twenty minutes trying to convince her that she was once CIA.  He even had to call Weiss and have him convince her.  Sydney was shocked when she learned that the same Weiss she was talking to was the same Weiss that she had allowed into her classroom as a future teacher.  She was even more shocked when she learned why he was really in her classroom.  Three hours later, Sydney was confused by her own life, but understood that it was all true.

            "I know I'm going back to LA tomorrow, but I want you to come with me."  Vaughn said, as he drove Sydney home.

            "TOMORROW?!?!  YOU WANT ME TO PACK UP EVERYTHING I KNOW IS TRUE, AND LEAVE WITH YOU TOMORROW!  NO!"

            "I know.  It's sudden but…"

            "No buts, I'm not going."

            "I understand."  Michael stopped the car.  They both looked up at the apartment building.

            "Michael, this is very new to me.  In two days, I remember that I have a husband and a daughter, and then meet my husband, and learn about my past self, and discover that my name is Sydney Bristow-Vaughn.  Excuse me for wanting to do everything else in baby steps."

            "Actually, I understand.  I didn't think that you would actually come."

            "I'm glad."

            "Maybe in a couple of weeks, Alexandra and I could come out here."

            "I don't know."

            "Its baby steps.  I know Will and Francie well enough to know that the minute you get home, they will swarm you.  Your father would give you distance for a while, but eventually would cave.  This way, you are only meeting Alexandra, so if you do decide to come to LA, there will be more familiar faces."           

            "Maybe."

            "Either way, I will call you."

            "Ok.  Thanks Michael, for lunch, for dinner, for everything."

            "You're welcome Syd."  Sydney smiled at Vaughn, and then got out of the car and went into the apartment.

*          *          *          *          *

Tell me… what did you think?  Put it in a review!  I like reviews.  They are fun to read.  They make me happy!


	12. Friendly Advice

            It took me longer than I would have liked, but I did finally get a new chapter written.  And another one well on the way.  Tell me what you think.  Drop a review!

*          *          *          *          *

            "*Who was your date?*" Rosa immediately asked.   Sydney had barely stepped into the apartment, and already Rosa was questioning her.

            "*Why?*" Sydney was reluctant to share all of the details.

            "*Please, you are killing your best friend here.*"

            "*Just someone.*"

            "*He's not just someone, he is someone you really like.*"  Rosa could see through Sydney.  She could see that he made her happy.  Sydney paused before she hung  up her coat to think.  She smiled as she realized how right Rosa was.

            "*Yeah.  I felt like I knew him before, and it turns out I did.  And I remembered why I like him so much.*"

            "*See, you really like him.*"

            "*There was this immediate attraction, and I couldn't explain it.  Aside from the fact of how handsome he is, there was something more than a physical attraction.*"

            "*Are you ever going to tell me how you knew him?*"

            "*Maybe.*"

            "*Please?*"

            "*Maybe.*"

            "*Why not now?*"

            "*Because there are other things I need to work out first.*"

            "*What is that supposed to mean?*"

            "*It means that I am going to eat some ice cream, and watch something on tv."

            "*Was the date that bad?*"

            "*Oh no, the date was,*" Sydney didn't know how to react to the date.  She enjoyed the food, and walking through the plaza a lot, but she wasn't sure how well she liked what she was told.  She liked that she knew her past, but it was so out there, that if she didn't know better, she would have thought that Vaughn had made it all up.  A CIA agent?  Her?  A double agent? No way.  An English literature teacher, well, that wasn't so far fetched.  Married?  She knew, but to someone so handsome, that was great.  Sydney thought for a minute on how to describe her evening.  "*The date was, well, the food was really good, and it was nice to walk through the plaza just talking.*"

            "*But…*"

            "*No buts.*"

            "*There has to be a but.  Like despite how much you like him, there is still a part of you that thinks he's a creep?*"

            "*I said there were no buts.*"

            "*So did you at least have a good time.*"

            "*Yeah, I guess.*" Sydney picked up the now prepared bowl of ice cream and walked to the couch, and sat on it.  Rosa knew that was the point that she was to stop talking.  She sat down on the opposite end, and watched the late night comedies that were on with Sydney.  Sydney finished her bowl of ice cream, and stared into it for long minutes.

            "*You know, staring at an empty bowl won't fill it.*" Rosa joked.

            "*I know.*" Sydney looked back up at the TV.  She was unusually quiet, as joke after joke was used.  While Rosa was laughing so hard she was crying, Sydney sat there, unwavering.  "*My name is Sydney Bristow Vaughn.*" She quietly said, as Rosa calmed down from a good laugh.

            "*What did you say?*" The smile still there.

            "*He told me my name was Sydney Bristow Vaughn.*" Rosa's smile quickly faded.  She picked up the remote so that she could have a serous talk with her friend.

            "*Sydney?*"

            "*Yeah.*"

            "*And you believe him.*"

            "*Yes.  I do.  He had pictures, and everything.  There was no reason to not trust him.  My heart remembered that I knew him, it was my head that forgot.*"

            "*Sydney Bristow Vaughn.  That is a cool name.*"

            "*Bristow was my maiden name he said.*"

            "*That was your husband.*"

            "*Yeah.*"

            "*Why didn't you tell me this earlier?*"

            "*I don't know.  This life here is all that I know.  Then in two days, everything changes.  I don't know how much I can take.*"

            "*I'm still here.*"  Sydney looked over at Rosa and smiled.  "*So, I assume he told you about your past life.*"

            "*He did.  Do you want to hear about it?*"

            "*Of corse!*"

            "*Ok, bear with me, I only found this out today, and there are a lot of details missing, but this is what I remember from tonight.  Lets see, my mother died when I was young, my father was often away for business, so I was basically raised by a nanny.  I went to college wanting to be an English Literature teacher.  It took me almost 11 years, but apparently I became one.  I was recurted by some secret alliance to do spy missions.  I was engaged to a man named Danny.  Told him about being a spy-*"

            "*Wait!  You were a spy?*"  

            "*Yeah, and apparently that is how I got here, and with the name Jessica English.  Michael wouldn't tell me any more than that for now.*"

            "*That is so cool.*"

            "*I guess, things just got complicated.*"

            "*How so?*"

            "*Well, when that spy place I worked for, SE-7 I think it was, no that's not it, SD-6, that's it, found out that Danny knew, they killed him.  I ended up turning on them, and worked for the CIA to take them down.  That is where I met Michael.  It was really complicated.  Something about my dad really being CIA, my mother not being dead.  Anyway, Michael skipped over that part, the details.  But he and I met in secret to discuss work stuff, and apparently we loved each other then, but couldn't do anything about it.*"

            "*Ohhh a secret love affair.*"

            "*Kinda, he kept emphasizing that we never acting on our feelings.  SD-6 was destroyed, we hooked up.  Got married, had one daughter.  Alexandra.  I began working for the college there, while doing an occasional mission for the CIA.   Was doing one for them when I ended up here.  The rest of the story you know.*"

            "*Except for one variable.*"

            "*What?*" Rosa stared at Sydney.  "*Oh, Juliana?  Well, she's definitely his.  The same vivid green eyes.  He showed me a picture of Alexandra, and they look so alike.*"

            "*Wow.  That is a lot for you to take in.*"

            "*He even asked me and Juliana to go back with him tomorrow, I turned him down.*"

            "Good for you.  It would be too early.  You just re-met the guy today.  And he's already asking you to go away.*"

            "*Thanks, I needed someone to tell me I did the smart thing.*"

            "*You did.*"

            "*Now comes the hard part.*"

            "*What part?*"

            "*The part where I decide what to do about all this.*"

            "Oh, that part.*"

            "*Yeah. I really need some advice right now.*"

            "*My advice?*"

            "*No, the person's behind you.  Of course yours.*"

            "*Let me start by saying that I have no idea what you're going through.  I've never had my whole life erased, have to make a new one, then have someone and tell you that your new life is wrong.  So, I'm going to go with the whole you like Michael thing.*"

            "*Right now, any advice I will gladly take.*"

            "*Call him.*"

            "*That's it?  That is your advice?*"

            "*What, I told you I didn't know what to say.*"

            "*I would, but tomorrow he and everyone else is going back to Los Angeles.*"

            "*You are from Los Angeles?  As in America?*"

            "*Apparently.*"

            "*Are you going to call him?*"

            "*Now?!?!*"

            "*Well yeah, I gave you advice, and now you should act on it.*"

            "*He has to get ready to leave.*" There was a cry from Raquel's bedroom. With Luis working the night shift, it was just her and Rosa.  Rosa stood up to go tend to her daughter.  She paused at the door.

            "*Jessica, sorry, Sydney, I don't know what else to say.  But you need to trust your heart.  Do what your heart tells you, not what your head tell you to.*" Rosa left Sydney all alone to her thoughts.

*          *          *          *          *


	13. Leaving Behind Everyone

Review.  Please?

*          *          *          *          *

Alexandra wouldn't stop talking from excitement as Francie drove her to the airport to pick up her father.  After four days, Alexandra really missed her father.  Francie decided that it was a good idea for Alexandra to surprise him by being at the airport.  She even took Alexandra out of school for the afternoon.  Alexandra held Francie's hand tight as the two waited for Vaughn at the baggage claim.  Calvin was in Francie's other arm.  After twenty minutes, he had begun to get squirmy waiting.  Francie was forced to put him down, but kept his hand tight, and wouldn't let him venture far.  Instead, she was forced to spin as he ran around her, so that her arms wouldn't get tangled up.  Alexandra, although obviously annoyed by it, tolerated the spinning.  "Are you sure he is going to come here Aunt Francie?"  Alexandra asked.  For the fourth time in twenty minutes, Alexandra had ventured away from Francie to peer around the corner for her father.  Each time she would come back, and say nothing as she grabbed Francie's hand again. 

"Yeah, it's just that his plane was a couple of minutes late, and it takes them a while to get here when he's flying from over seas."

"Oh."  As another wave of people came, Alexandra watched the corner carefully, and then, "DADDY!"  She screamed.  She let go of Francie's hand and ran over to where her father was coming.  

Vaughn smiled, and scooped up Alexandra.  "Hey there Angel.  I missed you so much."  With her in his arms, he walked over to where Francie was, slowly, as to get more time alone with his oldest daughter.

"I missed you more!"

"I don't think so."  Vaughn played.

"I'm glad you're home, and then Grammy comes in two days."

"I know."

"Were you surprised Daddy?"

"What?"

"You knew?"  Alexandra's face fell.

Vaughn smiled, and then did his notorious nose tapping.  "Angel, I didn't know a thing.  I am so glad that you are here."

"Aunt Francie even let me come here instead of school."

            "That is what I figured."

            "Yup.  And Calvin, he's here too."

            "I can see that."  Vaughn said, stopping at where Francie was trying to get Calvin down from where he was climbing on the carousel.  Kicking and screaming, she picked him up and forcefully held him.

            "How was your trip Mike?"  Francie asked.

            "Good.  Thanks for watching Alexandra for me."

            "Sure, we had fun."

            "Daddy!  Look, there goes your bag!"  Alexandra said, as suitcase after suitcase spun around them.

            "There isn't a lot in there.  I think you can get it.  Do you want to, or should I wait?"

            "I'll go get it!"  She said, dodging the people on her quest for the suitcase.

            "Did you talk to her?"  Francie asked Vaughn.  She knew that Calvin didn't know who they were talking about, so she didn't have to worry.

            "Yeah, and there were some surprises up both of our sleeves."

            "Oh, I'm sorry Mike.  I wondered if she had re-married."

            "Re-married?  God no, something else."

            "What else is there?"

            "She was apparently pregnant when she left.  Neither of us knew, but guess who was waiting for me, kinda. She didn't know who I was, and she wasn't waiting for her father, but she was sick and in her office when I stopped by."

            "Another daughter?"

            "Yeah, but you can't tell Alexandra anything.  And I'll tell you more after I tell Alexandra.  She deserves to know first."

            "I wouldn't dream of it any other way."  There was a silence, as Alexandra came back, struggling from the weight of what was heavier than anticipated duffel bag.  Francie noticed the absence of the other agents.  "Where is everyone else?"  She questioned.

            "They had to stick around a little longer.  We had two objectives.  They're making a replica of something.  Since I wasn't part of that team, I got to go home before they did."

            "Ah."  

            "Daddy, I want to show you something I made at Sunday school." Alexandra said, holding her father's hand, as they walked to the car.

            "You went to Sunday school?"

            "We always go to church, and we couldn't leave her behind."

            "That's ok."

            "But it is at Aunt Francie's house."

            "We have to stop by there anyway."  Vaughn got in the passenger's seat, as Francie attempted to put Calvin into his child's seat.

            "Guess what Daddy!"

            "What?"

            "Aunt Francie gave me my birthday present early."

            "Your birthday isn't for another month."

            "It's a really pretty dress."

            "She didn't have anything nice enough for church."  France explained.

            "I had forgotten that you guys went to church.  I would have packed a nicer dress for you."

            "It is ok, it brightened her weekend."

            When they pulled into Francie's drive way, Alexandra jumped out, and ran inside.  Vaughn went following after her.  He barely got to the living room, before he found Alexandra coming through the hall, with her little suitcase following.  "I'm ready to go home now Daddy."  She said.

            "That I can see."  Vaughn turned to Francie.  "Thanks so much for taking her tthis weekend again. I really appreciate it."

            "It was no problem.  We had fun."

            "We did.  Now can we go!?!?"  Alexandra said, standing by the door.

            "Yes."

            "Will, Mia, and the twins are coming tonight for dinner, you are now officially invited."  Francie invited.

            "Depends on how well she takes the news."  Vaughn said, lowering his voice.

            "I understand."

            "I'll call you if we can't make it."

            "Ok."  

            Alexandra had had enough waiting.  She grabbed her father's arm, and dragged him unwillingly out the door.   As Vaughn pulled up to the house, Alexandra looked at it excitingly.  Vaughn pulled into the driveway, and before he had the chance to unbuckle his seat belt, Alexandra had jumped out and ran for the front door.  "It's locked!"  She shouted.

            "I know!  I locked it before we left."  Vaughn went to the back of the car, and pulled out Alexandra's suitcase, and his duffle bag.  Alexandra just stood by the door waiting impatiently.  Vaughn saw her standing there, and decided to play a little game with her.  He walked up the side walk as if he was going into the house, but when it came time to turn to the door, he kept walking.   He could hear the playful shouts of Alexandra yelling at him to come back as he walked around the entire house.  When he reached the front door Alexandra was mad, in an excited way.  She giggled as he finally opened the door.  "Excited to be home?"  He said, as she went running around the living room once.

            "Yep."  Alexandra ran and took her suitcase from her father.  "Can I show you what I made now?"  She said.

            "No."

            "Why not?"

            "I'm only kidding.  Show me."

            Alexandra opened her suitcase and began to throw her clothing around.  Vaughn noticed a dress that he had never seen before.  "Alexandra, honey, is this the dress Aunt Francie gave you?"

            "Yep."  She continued to throw her things around.  "Here it is!" She shouted.  She ran over and handed him the little ornament that she made.  Vaughn looked at the delicate angel in his hand. 

            "What is this Angel?"

            "It's Mommy."

            "I can see that."

            "Because she's an angel in heaven."  Vaughn looked at the picture that she had chosen.  

            "Come here Angel.  I need to talk to you about that."  Vaughn sat down on the couch, and patted his knee to get Alexandra to come over and sit with him. Curious, she did.  "Who told you Mommy was an angel?"

            "No one.  I kinda guessed it."

            "Mommy isn't an angel."

            "What?"  Her voice raised.

            "Mommy got lost when you were two.  She couldn't find her way home, and she didn't know who she was, or anyone else for that matter."

            "Mommy isn't dead?"

            "No, she isn't.  That is where I was this weekend.  Someone had said they had found someone named Jessica English in Barcelona, Spain, and we thought it was Mommy.  It was."

            "But you said Mommy's name was Sydney Vaughn."

            "It is.  Remember how I said that she didn't know who she was?"  Alexandra nodded.  "Well, because she didn't know her name was Sydney, she made up a name."

            "Is she coming home?"

            "Not yet.  We may go to see her first."  Vaughn didn't know how his daughter would take the news.  There were times where she would act like Sydney, and just break down in tears, and then there were times where she'd still act like Sydney, and put on her thick skin, and mask it, and then there were times where he didn't know where she was coming from.  Her mother not dead, a sister she never knew.  Her own mother did not take the news that Irina wasn't dead well at all.  But then, Sydney's emotions were a lot more complex than Alexandra's.  Irina Derevko wasn't exactly the nicest person.  His own father was killed by her wrath.  And on their first meeting, Sydney was promptly shot in the arm, and told that she would have been better off dead at birth.  Still, within Alexandra, there was so much of Sydney in her.  The fiery temper, the cool beauty, the charming personality.  Within the time it took Alexandra to react to everything Vaughn had said, her face had changed as everything sunk in.  At first it reflected her confusion, then excitement, anger as the lie came out, and now, he couldn't read her.  

            "Let's go!"  

            Vaughn smiled.  He was glad to see his daughter taking the news so well.  He was afraid that she wouldn't take it well at all.  "Now?  But I thought you were happy to be home?"

            "I am, but I want to see Mommy."

            Vaughn was a little startled.  "Angel, do you know where Spain is?"

            Alexandra shook her head.  "No."  

            Vaughn took Alexandra by the hand, and led her to the globe that sat in the study.  "Do you know where we live?"  Alexandra smiled, and pointed to California.  "Spain is all the way over here."  Vaughn let his daughter trace the route across the Atlantic Ocean until it stopped on Spain.

            "All the way over there?"

            "Yeah."

            "That is a long way."

            "It is.  See why we can't go now.  Maybe in a couple weeks.  You have a day off from school coming up after Grammy goes home.  Maybe we'll go then."

            "Ok."  He and Alexandra walked back to the living room.

            "Good.  Now come here, there is more I need to tell you."

            "What."

            "When your Mom disappeared, neither of us realized that she was pregnant.  You have a little sister."

            "I do?!?!"  

            "Yep, her name is Juliana."

            "That is so cool!"

            "I'm glad that you're excited about that."

            "I've always wanted a little sister."

            "You now have one.  She's five, and only speaks Spanish."

            "Spanish?  I don't know Spanish."  Alexandra's face fell.

            "I know.  But if you'd like, I could teach you Spanish before we go."

            "Yeah."

            "You will only learn a little bit, but you'll hopefully learn enough that you can tell her hi."

            "What is hi?"

            "Hello in Spanish is Hola."

            "Hola."

            "Yep."

            "Hola."  Alexandra repeated to herself.

            "I'll teach you more later.  I got to go do some things, like unpack, and make a lesson plan for tomorrow, and make sure that the sub doesn't show up.  I want you to clean up this mess.  Put it all in your room, and then you can play."

            "Ok Daddy."

            "Do you have any homework?"

            "A little."

            "Ok, I want you to do it before dinner."

            "I will."

            "Do you want to go to Aunt Francie's for dinner tonight? Uncle Will, Mia, Allie and Leigh are all going to be there."

            "Yeah."  Mike smiled, and went into his bedroom, and threw his bag on the floor.  That sort of thing used to bother Sydney.  She never liked it when he would come home from a trip, and leave his bag on the floor.  It always had to be unpacked right then.  But over the past six years, that habit had been dropped. He stared at the bag, and decided now that he knew where Sydney was, he better get back into that habit.  He unpacked and then went into the study to do work.  "When they move back, this or the play room will have to go." He told himself as he sat down in the chair.

            Francie wasn't surprised when they showed up for dinner.  She was actually expecting them to show up.  Alexandra wasn't the kind of girl to take things too seriously, or blow things out of proportion.  After dinner, when the kids were all playing together, the grown ups had time to talk.  Mia and Joe had never met Sydney, so they weren't really part of it, but they listened intently, seeing as their respective spouses talked about her a lot, and after all, Leigh was even named after her.

            "She's ok?"  Will checked.  The news came as a large shock.  He was told that Sydney was missing.  Now, he was just told that she wasn't only alive, but thriving  in a place away from them.  She was his best friend.  They had been friends since high school.  You don't just forget friends like that.  At least, that was the way that Will felt.  He didn't know weather to be relieved, or upset.  Vaughn and Francie both knew that she was alive.  He was only told that she was missing.  Missing could mean anything.  Missing could mean dead.  Missing could mean alive.  Missing could mean captured.  Sydney could have been captured, tortured, and then killed.  Missing could mean that too.  His scissors were often missing from his desk.  But no.  In this case missing was living.  Living in an upper class apartment with some other people, thriving.  And all this time, Francie and Vaughn knew she was alive.  True, they didn't know where she was, but they still knew that she was alive.  Even though, the steam rose, Will remained calm.

            "Yeah, living in Barcelona, teaching English at the college."

            "Language, or like English Lit?"  Joe asked.  This whole Sydney thing was new territory for him.  He didn't know too too much about her.  Mostly the little things that made his wife and her such good friends.  But he didn't know what her interests were. He didn't even know how to react to finding out that Vaughn had reunited with her.

            "Language."

            "And what about this other daughter?"  Francie said.

            "Whoa, back up. What's this other daughter business?"  Will said.

            "When Syd disappeared, we were trying for another kid.  We didn't realize that she was pregnant as she left.  So to my surprise I get there and discover, I have a five year old that I never knew."

            "Name?"  Will demanded.

            "Juliana."

            "Ohh… I like that.  It sounds all Spanish like."  Mia said.

            "I mean that is the only language that she speaks, so Spanish like makes sense."

            "How did Alexandra take the news?" Will asked.

            "Surprisingly well.  I thought she'd be at least a little upset that I never told her that her mother was alive, but it didn't faze her.  She wanted to fly to Barcelona right then to visit her."

            "She is as tough as her mother."  Will said.  There was an uneasy silence that filled the room.

            "So, your mother comes tomorrow."  Francie said, she felt the subject needed to be changed.

            "Yeah.  Her plane gets in nice and late, so I don't have to leave school or anything.  And she's getting here on her own."

            "Have you told her about Sydney?"  Will pried.

            "Are you kidding?  I just got back this afternoon."

            "Are you going to tell her?"

            "Eventually."  A tired wail rang from down the hall.  It was followed by the giggling of girls.  There was a clunk, and the wailing stopped.  The adults all had a pretty good feeling of what had just happened.  Francie glanced down at her watch. 

            "Excuse me.  I have to get Calvin to bed."  Francie stood up, and quickly walked down the hall to rescue her son from his own sleepyness.

            "Yeah, I should probably also be heading home.  Alexandra has school tomorrow."  Vaughn stood up.  "And I have to return to work as well.  The party was breaking up.  Alexandra, Ally, and Leigh were all disappointed to leave each other.  In their own temporarily care free world, princesses ruled the kingdom, and they were the ones that defeated the angry dragons, and saved the villagers.  They couldn't go, and leave their people to the wrath of the fire breathing dragon.  But eventually, the three friends departed, with promises of a play date the next day after school, leaving Joe, Francie, and Calvin at their house. Vaughn had no problems getting his angel to bed that night.  It had been a busy day, and she was back in her own, familiar bed.  Throughout Vaughn's song, her eyes slowly fell, as the eyelids got heavier and heavier.  After Vaughn sung his daughter to sleep that night, he heard the melodic voice of his angel. 

            "Daddy?  Tomorrow can we go see Mommy and my sister?" She asked.

            "Nope.  Soon though.  I promise.  But for now Grammy is going to come.  You can't tell her about Mommy and Juliana yet.  It will be our secret."

            "Ok."

            "Night Angel."

            "Night Daddy."  Alexandra rolled onto her side and shut her eyes.  Vaughn went into his study, and turned on his computer.  While it booted up, he busied himself with checking his lesson plans, and other little things.  When he opened his email, he saw that there was more than his fair share of notes for him.  

            "I was only gone five days!"  He exclaimed, as he tried to weed through the fifty some messages for spam.  "54 messages, and my spam guard caught every bit of spam." He said.  Figuring he would start at the beginning, he began reading through each message.  Many were from students asking for help on homework that the sub did not do a good job explaining.  A few from his co-workers, checking on him to see if he was alright.  There was a handful of jokes from Weiss who subscribed to the daily joke mail, and then always forwarded it to Vaughn.  But there was a good number of legitimate emails.  One of them stuck out as something that he got that morning.  He smiled as he opened the lengthy email from someone at jenglish.  There was no doubt in his mind on who that was.

                        Michael,

I don't know how to thank you.  There was this gap in my life.  I only knew six years.  I had no idea how old I was.  What my background was, I didn't even know if Jessica English was my real name.  And then, my life changed the minute you strolled into my office.  I didn't know how I knew you, but I knew that I knew you.  The heart never forgets.  Well, you knew that.  Suddenly, there was someone standing in front of me that knew everything about me.  You know more about me, than I know about me.  You suddenly gave me a history.

I haven't told Juliana yet about you, or Alexandra.  I plan to tell her soon.  She won't take the news well.  Juliana has this innocence that disappears at the first sign of news.  Good news, she becomes too excited to be innocent.  Bad news, and she becomes quiet and withdrawn.  Once I tell her, I will call you so we can begin to make plans for you and Alexandra to come to Barcelona.  Of the two options you gave me last night, that was the one that sounded most appealing.  I don't know how I could handle meeting so many people at once.  Or in my case, re-meeting them.  

I would have called you, but I figured your plane hadn't left yet, and I needed to tell you what I was thinking right then.  With the prospect of another meeting, I end.  

                                    ~Sydney

            Vaughn couldn't believe what he was reading.  He and Alexandra had a formal invite to Barcelona, and Alexandra wasn't mad at him for hiding the truth.  As he pulled the covers over his head before his dreams came to life, Vaughn could only think of one thing.  His life, after six years, was finally getting back on track.


	14. That's Everyone

Sorry that it has taken me so long to get a new chapter up.  I have been really busy at school, and with work, and I wanted a well written chapter.  I have a good week long break coming up, so I'm hoping to get some more of this story done.  And now, the moment that you have just spent the last several seconds to start has begun.  The new chapter.

But first I'd like to thank my wonderful betas!  

Now, seriously, I'm going to start the story.

*          *          *          *          *

            Happily, Juliana pranced around the apartment in some of her mother's old clothing for Rosa.  Sydney still had to go to work.  Despite Juliana was sick Rosa was able to stay home.  After resting the day before, and that morning, Juliana was feeling better, and was up and playing.  Giggling, she jumped onto the couch.  "*Juli, don't jump on the couch.*" Rosa said, scooping up the little girl and helping her back onto the firm floor.  Juliana smiled, and then went running around again.   

            "*When is my Mommy supposed to be home?*"

            "*Soon.  You know that.*"

            "*When is Tío Luis come home?*"

            "*After your mother.*"

            "*When is Raquel coming home?*"  
            "*With your mother.*"

            "*Will you play dolls with me?*" Juliana ran and got two dolls from her room before Rosa could even answer the little girl's request.   Juliana handed a doll to Rosa, who took it.

            "*Juliana, you actually need to take a nap first.*"

            "*Why?*"

            "*Because, you were sick this morning, and when you're sick, you have to take more naps.*"

            "*Not tired.*" With that, Juliana took off running.    After much convincing, Rosa was able to get Juliana to at least play quietly in her room.  

            Sydney came home, and was surprised to come back to a quiet house.  She put her bag down and found Rosa bent over work at the table.  Rosa had run upstairs to play with her toys that she had spent the bus drive home talking about.  "*How did you get her to go to sleep?*" Sydney inquired.

            "*She's just quietly playing.*"

            "*I'm going to go talk to her.*" Sydney quietly ascended the stairs, to the upper part of the apartment.  Quietly playing with Raquel, the two had their dolls, lying in the doll house, as the two prepared play food for their dolls to eat.  Upon seeing her mother standing at the door, Juliana smiled brightly, and jumped up and hugged her mother.

            "Hola Mama!"  She said.  "*Come play!*" 

            "*Juli, I need to talk to you for a minute before I can play.  Come on.*" Sydney scooped up her little girl and carried her to the bed room.  "*Juliana, do you remember the man that came to my office yesterday?*"

            "*Yes.*"

            "*You know how Mommy doesn't remember anything before you were born.*"

            "*You still don't.*"

            "*You're right.  I still don't remember things very well.  Juli, that man was from my past.  He was from before you were born.*"

            "*Ok.*"

            "*Juliana, I want you to be serous now.*" Juliana's attention had wavered, and she no longer sat on her mother's lap.  She saw the jewelry on her mother's dresser, and began to play with it.  Upon her mother's snap, Juliana put down the necklace and walked back to her mother's lap.  "*Juliana, how would you like to go to America?*"

            "*For a vacation?*"

            "*Maybe, but maybe to live there one day.  I don't know when.*"

            "*Will Tía, and Tío, and Raquel come too?*"

            "*I don't think so sweetie.*"

            "*Nope, don't want to go.*"

            "*I didn't say we would.  I said that there might be a chance that we would go there.*"

            "*Why?*"

            "*Why?*" Sydney knew that this was the part where the truth had to come out, and there was no more beating around the bush.  "*Juliana, that was your Daddy, and I didn't know that until last night.*" Sydney looked into her daughter's eyes for a hint of what she was feeling.  But she only got a blank stare.  Juliana had stopped tracing the patterns on her mother's quilt, and looked at her mother.  She was silent.  "*Juli, I know that this is a shock for you, but I didn't know this until yesterday either.*" Juliana still didn't move.  "*You also have a sister I didn't know about until recently.  She's eight, and her name is Alexandra.*"   At this point, Juliana still hadn't moved since she found out.  "*They might come here in a couple of weeks, to meet you.*" Sydney could tell that her daughter had heard every word that she had just said.

            "Mama?"

            "*Yes?*" Sydney asked, hoping she would get some sort of reaction from Juliana. 

            "*Can I go play now?*" Sydney almost burst out crying right there.  Her daughter had just soaked in everything she was just told, without saying anything. Positive, or negative, Sydney wanted to hear what her daughter thought.

            "*Yes.*" Juliana walked out of Sydney's room, and back into the one that she and Raquel shared.  Sydney allowed two tears roll gently down her cheek before she reached over and picked up the phone.  The card that Vaughn had given her, to call, sat on the dresser.  She glanced at her clock, and noticed that it was four.  She quickly figured the time difference, and called Vaughn at work. Her fingers shook as she dialed each number.   In five years, she had gone out with a number of guys.  Not a lot, but she wasn't staying at home for a year at a time without a date.  And never had she ever been so nervous about calling a guy.  Figuring he had a class right then, she hoped to leave a message on his machine.  Which was fine.  She was so nervous that she was afraid that she would say something stupid to him.

            "Michael Vaughn."  Sydney almost dropped the phone at the sound of his voice.

            "Michael, it's me."  Her voice wavered like the ocean.

            "Sydney, hello."  Vaughn detected that Sydney was immediately reached out to her.  "What's wrong Syd?"  He asked.

            "I told Juliana about you."

            "I take it she didn't take the news well at all?"

            "No."

            "She took it well?"

            "No."

            "What do you mean?"

            "She just took it.  All she did for like several minutes was give me this blank stare.  It hurt.  I have no idea how she felt."

            "I told Alexandra."

            "How did she take it?"

            "Very well.  She wanted to fly out and meet you guys right then."

            Sydney gave a small laugh.  "I'm glad she was excited."  There was a long and awkward pause before Sydney spoke again.  "Michael, I think it would be good if you and Alex come out."

            "You're already calling her Alex."

            "I am?"

            "Yeah.  It was something that only you did.  Everyone else calls her Alexandra.  She never liked anyone else calling her Alex except for her mother,  she still doesn't."

            "I didn't even know I called her Alex."

            "Deep in your heart, it is obvious that you still remember the little things that your head forgot."

            "I guess I do."  

            "So when should I order the tickets for?"

            "What is best for you and Alexandra?"

            "We have a spring break in less than a month."  Sydney could hear the rustle of papers as Vaughn checked the dates.  "Actually in two weeks."

            "Mr. Vaughn?"  Sydney heard a quaint voice call from the other line.  She heard Vaughn talk briefly to the student, asking him to wait.  

            "Syd?  What do you think?"

            "Two weeks is fast."

            "We can always wait until the summer.  I mean, I can't take anymore time off."

            "I understand."  Sydney quickly thought.  "Two weeks it is."

            "Great!"

            "And just to clarify, it will be just you and Alexandra.  Not anyone else I know?"

            "Yeah.  But your father may stop by before then."

            "My father. Why?"

            "He had access to the same resources I did.  And he was looking just as much as I was.  Jack was in Tibet at the time."

            "Oh."

            "Syd, I have to go and help a student with something.  I'll call you later."

            "Ok."

            "Bye."

            "Bye."  Sydney heard the defining tone of the phone as she put it in its cradle.

            Vaughn paused before he turned back around to his student.  He desperately wanted to tell Sydney that he loved her, like he always ended conversations with her.  But he knew that she would be weirded out by that.  To her, they had only just met.   Giving a smile, he turned around.  "What can I help you with Mr. Mathews?"

            "Sir, I was wondering, is there anyway you can raise my grade?"

            "Kevin, you haven't turned in three assignments.  The only way I could raise your grade was if you took this test."  Vaughn pulled out a test from one of his AP classes, and handed it to him.  "It is over material we've covered, but it is at the AP level.  If you get a 50% I'll give you 10 extra credit points.  For every ten percent, you get another five points."  Vaughn said.

            Kevin looked briefly over the test.  He looked worried.  "What would ten points do to my grade?"

            "About 3 percentage points."

            "What is my grade?"

            Vaughn quickly opened up his grade book, and selected Kevin Mathews' grade.  "You have a 68.4 percent."

            "I need a C to remain in track."  Kevin desperately said.  "I don't think I can get a 50% on this test here.  Is there anything else?"

            "I'm afraid not."

            Kevin stormed out of Vaughn's office in a fit of furry.  Vaughn just smiled, remembering his own high school experiences.  He picked up the thrown test, and put it back onto his desk.

            "The track kids are the worst."  Fellow teacher Chris Chadwick said.  He was only a few years out of college, and the resemblance, maturity wise, between him, and his students was uncanny. "I had three in my class once, and I caught all three of them cheating on a test.  I was egged the next week.  And my mother was in town. She just flipped out."

            "Kevin just isn't able to put dates with events.  I have tried to help him get that C for track, but history doesn't click."

            "I'm just saying, if you get egged, it's your own fault."  Chris sat down in the desk next to Vaughn.  "Now, where are you going over spring break?"

            "What do you mean?"

            "Come on, I'm three desks over, I think I heard you talk about buying tickets for spring break.  Where are you and Alexandra going?"

            "Barcelona."

            "Spain?"

            "Aren't you a social studies teacher as well?  Of course Barcelona, Spain."

            "You are only going to see one city in Europe for a week.  If I was going to Spain, I would see all of Europe, and spend like a month there."

            "It was the longest amount of time we could go, in the shortest time."

            "Something important must be in Barcelona."

            "Yep."  Vaughn heard the bell ring, signaling the end of third period, and his planning time.  He stood up, straightening the papers he had just finished grading, and walked to the exit of the door.  Chris quickly grabbed his materials for his next class, and followed Vaughn.

            "Are you going to tell me?"

            "Nope."

            "Why not?"

            "I'm entitled to my secrets."  Vaughn paused in the middle of the hallway.  Like water around a rock, busy students parted for him and Chris. "God, Sydney would kill me for saying that.  She hated secrets, considering it hurt her once."

            "What are you jabbering about?"

            "Nothing."  Vaughn went into his class room.  As students began to file in, Chris backed off.  Vaughn absent mindedly taught for the rest of the day.  His thoughts were elsewhere.  He thought about Sydney mostly.  But of course coupled with Sydney was Juliana, and Alexandra, and the upcoming trip to Barcelona.  He thought of his mother arriving, and what she would think when she found out that Sydney was alive.  She had always loved Sydney like her own daughter, and was upset when she first went missing.  Recently, she had taken to nagging Vaughn about trying to find someone new, so that Alexandra would have a mother to talk to when it came time for that time.  Vaughn still hadn't figured out how to tell his mother.  Alexandra was a breeze.  It was his mother he was really worried about.  Vaughn also thought about how mad Kevin was about his grade, and getting kicked off the track team.  He wondered if his own house would get egged.  Relief came when the final bell rang.  But it didn't last long.  Vaughn had forgotten that he had to stay around for a while, to help some students make up some work.  He went into the pod, where his and other teacher's offices were, and found the table full of teachers grading homework, around the common table, complaining about their days.

            "Mike, join us?"  Chris called out, as Vaughn went slinking into his office.

            "I can't actually.  I was just going to get a couple of things, and then I have to go.  My mother came today."  His colleagues sent him well wishes, as he waved good bye.

            Vaughn walked out to his car, and almost dropped his bag in shock.  Sitting on the hood of his car was none other than Eric Weiss.  "What's up man?"

            "You left some paperwork undone yesterday.  Kendall wasn't happy.  He threatened to fire you, and then forgot you didn't work there anymore."

            "I haven't worked there for years.  He forgot I didn't work there?"

            "Kendall is getting old.  Memory is definitely going.  But you still need to fill these out."

            "Explain to me Eric, what will happen if I don't?"

            "He won't trust you with missions again."

            "Fine with me."

            "This weekend's was considered a mission."  Vaughn stood there silent.  

            "Tell him that I will get these to him, if he gets me and Alexandra well priced tickets for Barcelona in two weeks."

            "What is well priced?"

            "Anything below what we would pay through a travel agency.  He owes it to Sydney, with their half-ass efforts to find her."

            "Is that what you think the efforts were?"

            "I worked there the year after she disappeared.  She was a priority for a few weeks, and then it fell through the cracks."

            Eric had lost it.  His best friend wasn't acting himself.  "Listen up man." he said, getting up into Vaughn's face.  "There were a bunch of us who for five years would pull all nighters for weeks on end.  Going on missions out of our own pocket to look for her.  There were eight of us who after you left, kept up your work.  Sure Kendall didn't sanctify everything we did, but we never gave up. We want to see Sydney come home too."

            "Thanks for doing that.  But one think I always trusted the agency with was getting their agents home.  Twice now, that hasn't happened.  First with my father, then with my wife."

            "But we found her.  You're going to see her in two weeks."

            "Then explain to me, why my daughter doesn't know who I am?  Explain to her whose fault it is that I wasn't by her side when she was sick this week.  Explain whose fault it is that I wasn't by Sydney's side when she needed me."

            "You know whose fault it is."

            "The KGB, yeah, but they don't know this.  I want you to explain this to them."

            "I can't."  Eric admitted.

            "Give me the papers.  I'll get them to his desk by tomorrow before work."

            "I'll see what I can do about those tickets." Eric said.

            "Thanks.  I'm sorry for that."

            "Its ok.  You've got a lot on your mind."

            "And now I have to go tell my mother that her daughter in law is not really dead, and she has another granddaughter."

            "Bridgette is in town?"

            "Should be at the house now.  Her plane arrived early this afternoon."

"Well, tell her hello for me."

            "I will."  Vaughn got into his car, and drove home, cursing leaving so late. He sat on the beltway, not moving.  The radio killed the eerie silence that accompanied him.  The bad news had been reported only minutes earlier.  An accident had blocked the entire road for several hours.  If he had left five minutes later, he would have been ushered off the interstate.  Now he was stuck, with miles of other stranded travelers in front of him, and a block behind him.  Knowing he was stuck for a while, he picked up his cell phone.

            "Bonjour."  He heard his mother answer.

            "Mom." He said.  "I'm glad to see you made it ok."

            "Oh yes.  Quite fine.  Your daughter is now showing me the finer parts of your charming house."

            "It hasn't changed since you came last year."

            "I'm letting her humor me."

            "Ok.  I'm just calling to say that I will be home late."

            "Oh dear.  Are you stuck in that awful traffic jam?" 

            "How did you know about that?"

            "Dear, its all over the news."

            "Right."

            "Well, the entire better.  This way when you get home, dinner will be waiting for you."

            "Maman, you really don't have to do that."

            "But I want to."

            "Seriously, just let me come home, and let me cook.  You're our guest."

            "Since when have you cooked?"

            "Since Sydney-"Vaughn cut off there, knowing that his mother still didn't know that she was alive.  

            "I understand.  I must finish this tour your daughter is giving me."

            "Maman, I want to tell you something first."  Vaughn didn't have time to think about what he had just said.  For a split second when he first called, he considered calling to tell his mother about Sydney.  His upbrining taught him that there were things you don't say over the telephone.  But the words slipped out before he had a chance to stop them.  

            "Of course Michael."

            Over the phone wasn't how he had planned to tell his mother, but she was the last person he had to tell.  Keeping this wondrous news bottled in him was killing him.  He needed to tell her, weather it was the right time or not.   Vaughn took a deep breath before continuing.  "Sydney never died."

            "I know, she only disappeared.  But really, its been six years.  I, like your daughter, believe that she didn't live.  Now I know that isn't what you believe, and I respect that."

            "No, we found her."

            "Excuse me?"

            "In Barcelona this weekend.  Weiss and I went over there.  I saw her, I've talked with her."

            "Oh." His mother breathed.  "Have you told Alexandra yet?"

            "Yes."

            "Michael, we will talk more when you get home.  Your daughter is about ready to pull my arm off."

            Vaughn chuckled as he pictured the sight from his car.  "Alright Mom.  I'll see you when I get home."

            "Yes.  Au revoir."

            "Au revoir."  Vaughn ended the call, and sat back in his seat.  It was going to be a long drive home.


	15. Reunited

            I just want to thank everyone who has reviewed my story.  I am just soooo happy that you like my story that much!  And special thanks to twin muse. I promise that this story will only get better.  But tell me how you want it to end.  I have some ideas, but I would love some more ideas, because what I have thought of doesn't exactly fit right with the rest of the story.

            Thanks to my awesome betas!  You guys help me out more than you know.

*          *          *          *          *

            Alexandra hung closely to her father as the two walked through the airport terminal.  Taken in her surroundings, the only thing she could think of was that they didn't just leave the country, they left the planet.  Everyone looked different.  Everyone spoke a different, an unusual language.  She was able to understand a word here, and a word there, but they talked so fast.   She looked up at her father for a moment, as he paused to look around the large room.

            "Daddy, is she here?"  She asked.

            "I'm still looking."

            "What does she look like?"

            "Like a larger you. Only her hair is longer, and she's taller, and her face is longer."

            "I look like her?"

            "Yup."

            "Is Juliana going to be with her?"

            "I don't know sweetie."  Vaughn held his daughter close, as a shady group of teenagers passed.  Alexandra watched them pass.  He watched as the last tram for five minutes, carrying people to the terminal emptied and left.  They were supposed to meet there, but she wasn't there.  He looked down at his oldest daughter, and smiled.  "How does ice cream sound?"  

            Alexandra brightened.  "I want strawberry."  She said, skipping with her father to the ice cream store.  

            "They don't have strawberry."

            Alexandra's face fell.  "They don't?"

            "Only coffee flavored."

            "I hate coffee."  She whined.

            "I'm only kidding Angel."  Vaughn stepped up to the front of the line, and ordered. "Un helado de la fresa por favor."  He said.  Grunting, the employee scoped the ice cream for the little girl.  Vaughn handed the ice cream to Alexandra and the money to the man.

            "What did you say Daddy?"  Alexandra asked.

            "I asked him for a strawberry ice cream."

            "Oh."  The familiar chimes of an approaching tram made Vaughn look at the doors.

            "Come on; let's go see if she's on this tram."

            Alexandra took Vaughn's hand and held it tight, as a wave of people tried to around her, like water avoiding a rock.  There were so many faces.  She looked up at all of them, wondering if one of them was her mother.  But from the way her father continued to look told her that they were not her mother.  A voice broke the noise.  "Michael!"  Vaughn looked towards where he heard his name.  Alexandra jumped to see if she could see her mother.

            "Sydney?"  Vaughn called.  There were still too many faces passing him, to see her.

            "Where is she Daddy?"

            "I don't see her yet."  

            "Michael!"  Vaughn took his daughter's hand, and pulled her through the crowd of people.  Alexandra was concentrating on avoiding running into people that she didn't notice that her father had stopped.

            She looked up at the woman that he was embracing.  She looked in awe.  This was her mother that she was looking at.  There were only a couple of pictures of her around the house, and they were so old, but Alexandra could definitely tell that she was looking at the woman that gave her life.  Her mother smiled, as she bent down to get eye level with her.  "You must be Alexandra." She said.  Alexandra was surprised that she spoke English.  Everyone in Spain only spoke Spanish.  Or so she thought.  Her mother just proved her wrong.  Alexandra took refuge partially behind her father.  Sydney just smiled.  "Can I get a hug?" 

            Alexandra walked over and went into her mother's waiting arms.  She couldn't help but smile as she realized how natural it felt to be in her mother's arms.  "Hi."  She whispered.

            "Hello."  Sydney said.  Her face shone brighter than any star in the sky.  For weeks, she had wondered what her oldest daughter looked like, and here she was, hugging her.  When they pulled apart, Sydney just looked at Alexandra, disbelieving the resemblance between her, and her Juliana.  The people had long since gone, and they were all alone in the hallway.  

            Vaughn spoke, diverting Sydney's attention.  "Is Juliana with you?"

            "No, unfortunately she had school.  She's not as lucky as you to get school off."

            "But it's a Saturday!"  Alexandra said.  The trio began to walk towards baggage claim.

            "She has a school that helps her with some things, and they are teaching her English.  But she's only a very beginner."  Sydney tried to explain.  "It's only half a day."  Alexandra smiled at her mother.  

"Daddy is teaching me Spanish."

"He is?"

"Yeah, but I only know a little."

"A little is a lot."

"Huh?"

"A little bit of Spanish can get you a lot."

"Oh."

"Where are you guys staying?"

            "At a small hotel downtown."

            "If you can cancel your reservation, Rosa and Luis had to leave last night at the last minute, and offered their room while they are gone.  Luis's mother is really sick, so they took Raquel and went to tend to her.  They offered their room, and I'm sure that Juliana wouldn't mind if you took Raquel's bed for a while."

            "Why wouldn't Juliana mind?  Wouldn't Raquel be the one to mind?"  Alexandra piped in.

            "They share a room."  

            "Oh."  

            "That sounds great."  Vaughn said.

            "Ok.  We'll drop off your stuff, and then we'll go pick up Juliana from school, or you guys could just hang around the apartment."  Sydney offered.  "I have to take the bus, so we see a lot of the city on the way over.  From the bus window, I could sort of give you the 5 cent tour." 

            Alexandra skipped.  "Yea!  Can we do that Daddy?"

            "Sure."  Vaughn said.  "Why not?"

            "And the other half of the city you can see on the way home."  Alexandra and Vaughn looked uncomfortable by how crowded the bus was, but Alexandra quickly got over it, and turned around to watch the city.  Sydney sat sideways as she narrated the different buildings.  When they got to the apartment there was just enough time to drop the bags inside the front door before leaving to go get Juliana.  They then had to sprint to the bus stop.

            "Wouldn't it be easier to get a car?"  Alexandra asked as she caught her breath in her seat.

            "I have one.  But it's broken, and I can't afford to fix it."

            "Oh."  Sydney showed Michael and Alexandra the more familiar sights along the way to Juliana's school.  They got out half a block away.  Alexandra held her father's hand tight, although she was tempted to hold her mothers as well.  Vaughn felt his daughter get more nervous as they got closer.  Around them, kids were screaming, and playing all sorts of running games.  Vaughn smiled as he remembered when he first saw Juliana quietly sitting on the hill.  But she wasn't sitting there.  They followed Sydney to where they were able to see the top of the hill, but they didn't see Juliana.  Sydney stood at the top so that she could see the entire playground.  "Michael, do you see her?"

            "No." He replied.  Sydney jumped off the hill, and walked up to a girl about Juliana's age.  She then jogged back to where Michael and Alexandra stood.

            "Ok, I got to go talk to the teacher.  Juli got kept over for not listening.  I've got to go deal with that.  Do you mind just hanging out or playing for a while, while I talk to the teacher."

            "Sure." Vaughn offered.  Sydney smiled, and then walked into the building.  Alexandra looked around the playground, where kids were playing on the Saturday afternoon.  "Do you want to go play Angel?"  Vaughn said.

            "No." Alexandra answered.  Vaughn looked down at his oldest daughter.  But she didn't notice.  Vaughn looked at where her glance was focused at, and saw that it was no where.  She was just looking at the end of the fence, where there was no one playing, or nothing to play with.  There were more interesting things to watch than a fence.  There was a group of older kids playing basketball, and soccer practice going on. Out of all those things, Alexandra decided to focus on the fence.  Alexandra's face was barely white.  He could tell that she was nervous.  Her hands had gotten a little sweaty, and she didn't appear to be standing quite as confidently as she was earlier.  Vaughn thought it was a little odd that she wasn't that nervous when they were that close to meeting her mother, but she was quiet, and scared when she was going to meet her younger sister.

            "You sure?"  Vaughn checked.  He had never known his daughter not to want to go and play.

            "Yeah."  Alexandra said. 

            "Are you going to tell me why you don't want to play?"  Vaughn prompted, although he already knew the answer."

            "No." Alexandra said. She kept staring.  After a short moment, she looked up at the father she knew and trusts.  "What if she doesn't like me?"

            "Who?"

            "My mom, or Juliana."

            "That isn't possible."

            "Yes it is.  Craig who sits four seats behind me doesn't like me."

            Vaughn smiled, remembering what it was like when he was eight.  "But he doesn't know who you are.  I know that your mother already likes you."

            "Really?"

            "Did you see how happy she was when you hugged her?"

            "No."

            "Well she smiled really big."

            "Did she really?"

            "Yup."

            "How will Juliana get to know me, she doesn't even speak English."

            "That is why you're learning Spanish."

            "I can only say hello, and would you like to play?"  Alexandra snarled with disgust.

            "That is all you need to know."  Vaughn got down on one knee to get eye level with his daughter.  "Alexandra, I don't think that them not liking you will be a problem.  I think the only problem will be that for now, you wont see each other enough.  One day I hope that won't be a problem.  But Angel, I know that you will be loved.  Everyone, loves you."

            "Really?"

            "Lets see who loves you already, there's me, and Grammy, and Uncle Eric, and Aunt Francie, Uncle Joe, and Calvin, and Uncle Will, and Mia, and Ally, and Leigh, and I know that Mrs. Marshall [Her teacher] and I bet that your mother does, and soon Juliana too."

            "Thanks Daddy."

            "Now, do you want to go play?"

            "No."  So, hand in hand, the two stood there, until they saw Sydney and Juliana come out.

            Sydney pushed the door into Juliana's classroom.  A book was open, and Juliana was looking at the pictures.  At the sound of the open door, Juliana looked up. She smiled brightly.  "Mama!"  She cried, rushing over.  

            "*What are you doing in here?*" Sydney asked Juliana.

            "*I got in trouble.  I'm sorry Mama.*" Juliana said, her face sad.

            "*It's ok. Could you go outside and wait while I talk to your teacher?*"  

            "*Are they here?*" Juliana whispered.  

            "*Yep.  They're outside waiting for us.*"

            "*What do they look like?*"

            "*Alexandra looks like you.*"

            "*Oh.*"

            "*Go outside, play, go find them, but I need to talk to your teacher.*"  Juliana smiled, and ran outside.   Sydney turned to the teacher, who sat at her desk, frowning as Sydney talked to her daughter.  "*Why did you keep my daughter over.  I wasn't aware that it wasn't the policy of this school to keep first graders after school.*" 

            "*Juliana sat in three time outs, but she still wouldn't stop.*"

            "*Wouldn't stop what?*"

            "*She continued talking, interrupting our class.  She seemed excited about meeting her sister, and father.  But you and I both know that that can't be true.*" The teacher smiled.

            Sydney didn't feel the same way as the teacher did.  She knew who was standing outside, waiting for her.  "*And what makes you think that?*" She snarled.

            "*Ms. English, I think that we both know your situation.  We don't want to give her false hopes, about a family that could never be.*"  

            "*FALSE HOPES!?!?*"That was enough. Sydney couldn't handle it anymore.  She picked up Juliana's backpack, stuck the abandoned book, in the backpack filled only with projects, and walked to the door.  "*Juliana will see you next Saturday.  If ever you want to set up a time to talk to me again, I suggest that you do not hold my daughter over to do so.  I do not expect to see her ever held over until it is school policy, and she rightfully deserves it.  And for your information, her father and her sister are out there waiting for us.*" Sydney stormed out without another word.    She saw Michael and Alexandra still standing on the hill where she left them.  The only thing that separated Sydney from Vaughn and Alexandra was a basketball court.   Juliana was invited to a game of tag, and was running around with delight with her friends, in a near by field.

            "JULIANA!" Sydney called.  She stopped just short of the edge of the basketball court so that she could talk to her youngest daughter, without her father or sister there watching.  Juliana waved to friends, and trotted over to her mother.  "*Juli, why didn't you tell me that you were excited to meet Michael and Alexandra?*" Sydney asked, stopping at the edge of the basketball court to talk to the little girl.

            "*I don't know.*" She shyly answered.

            "*If you had told me, I wouldn't have made you come to school.  You could have come with me.*"

            "¿Verdad?" [Really?]  

            "*Yeah.  Now come on, let's go say hello.*"

            "*Is that them?*"  Sydney slid the backpack onto Juliana's back.

            "*Yep.*"

            "*He's tall.*"

            "*Yes.*"

            "*Are they staying with us?*"

            "*Yes, is that alright with you?*"

            Juliana nodded.  "*Where is she going to stay?*"

            "*In Raquel's bed.*"

            "*In my room?*"

            "*Yep.*"

            "*She won't like me.*" 

            "*Why do you say that?*"

            "*Cuz I don't know what she is saying.*"

            "*That is why you go to Saturday school, to learn English.*"

            "*But I'm only a first year.  I won't know what she is saying.*"

            "*If you ever don't know what is going on, look at me or Michael, and we can tell you what we're saying.*"

            "*I'm the only one that doesn't know English.*"  Juliana pouted.

            "*Alexandra is the only one who doesn't know Spanish.  So you're both in  the same pinch.  Now come on, lets go.*" Sydney offered her hand, and the two began the small walk up the hill.

            "*Are you mad at me Mama?*"

            "*No, if anything, I'm mad at your teacher.*"

            "*Good.  I don't like her.*" Juliana grip on her mother's hand got continually tighter as the fast approaching hill got closer.  

            "Hola Juliana."  Michael said, getting eye level.

            "Hola."  Juliana shyly said.  

            "Hola.  My name is Alexandra."  Alexandra said, suddenly assertive.  Vaughn was taken aback.  After the way she had acted moments before, the last thing he had expected was for her to be assertive like that.  Alexandra smiled at her little sister, as the two met for the first time ever.  Neither parent could believe the resemblance.  They looked much alike, just as both had said.  Their green eyes shone brightly.  There was no mistaking the fact that everyone was excited.

            Juliana looked up at her mother for a translation.  Sydney did so. Juliana stood silent.  "Alexandra, this is Juliana."  Sydney spoke for Juliana.

            "How about some lunch, on my treat."  Vaughn suggested.  "There looked like a couple of good places on the way over."  Alexandra smiled brightly.  Juliana quietly stood.  Vaughn got down on his knees and asked Juliana if she wanted to go to lunch as well.  Eagerly, Juliana nodded.  Vaughn looked at Sydney for her approval.  She herself smiled and nodded.

            "Sounds wonderful." Sydney said.  She looked into Vaughn's velvet green eyes.  It was right then that she felt safe.  That he would always be with her.  Her cheeks blushed, and she turned away.

            The now reunited family walked happily to the bus stop to go to lunch.


	16. Bad Luck with Agents

Pesky school.  Getting in the way of my writing. Grrr…  So with a bad report card, I present you this.  The fruit of my labor.  A brand spanking new chapter.  Now, this one may seem like it's the end.  But its not. I think I have like four to six more, eh, maybe more, chapters left.  Depending if I ever decide on an ending.  Excuse my Spanish. Between the last time I apologized for it, and now, I haven't become fluent.  I'm still using an internet translator.

Thank you to all of my reviewers! This is my first story where I have reached over 100 reviews.  It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside thinking about it.  J

And to my wonderful betas~ you guys rock!  Seriously!   They not only make sure there isn't anything major missing, but they also help with my mediocre Spanish. These are the people that help bring my stories to life, and make them as realistic as a fan fiction can be!  Thanks guys!

And thank you to everyone else.  Because it always feels good to be thanked J

*          *          *          *          *

            Juliana took Alexandra's hand, and dragged her up to her bedroom.  Sydney smiled, as they ran up the stairs.

            "Looks like the language thing wasn't as big a barrier as we thought." Vaughn commented as he followed Sydney's gaze.

            "Looks that way."  It took only a little time for the ice to be broken during lunch.  They began their lunch with Juliana clinging heavily to Sydney, and Alexandra to Vaughn.  But by the time they were finished, Juliana and Alexandra had shed their parents like jackets on a warm day.  They chatted excitedly together, although Juliana talked about one thing, and Alexandra another.  Alexandra would point to one object, and have Juliana give the word.  On the bus Alexandra would point to the seat.

            "Silla."  Juliana would answer.

            "Silla." Alexandra would repeat.  "Chair."

            "Chair."  They would do this for a while.  But the minute they got back to the apartment, where they ran up to Juliana's room.

            Sydney and Michael walked into the living room, and nervously looked around.  "Can I get you something to drink?"  Sydney offered, breaking the uneasy silence.

            "Water. Thanks."  Sydney walked over to the kitchen, tripping over Vaughn and Alexandra's suitcases.  

            "Opps."  She exclaimed.  Carefully, she avoided the suitcases on her way back with the water.  Her eyes lingered on the suitcases a bit longer.  "I guess I never showed you guys where you'll be staying, did I?"

            Vaughn shook his head.  "Nope."

            "Well then," Sydney picked up the suitcases, and motioned for Vaughn to follow her.  She showed him the downstairs, which was pretty much self explanatory.  The large loft was open, with nothing more than a table or some chairs to separate rooms.  It had a minimal look to it, but still very lived in.  It is hard not to have a house that looks lived in when two kids live there.  Vaughn spun in circles, as Sydney showed him the different areas.  It reminded him a lot of a New York loft.  If it weren't for the view of Barcelona, he would have thought that he never left the country.  Sydney showed him up the stairs.  The feeling of upstairs reflected that of the downstairs, although there were three rooms and a bathroom.  Directly at the top of the stairs was Juliana's and Raquel's room.  They opened the closed door and looked inside.  

            What was unfolding in front of them made them smile.  Juliana had gotten out her doll house, and had given one to Alexandra.  Each was playing their own little fantasy out, but thinking that the other one was playing the same thing.

            "*I need to find my keys so that we can go to the store.*" Juliana said as she made her little doll dance around the house.

            Alexandra had her doll on top of the house.  "Luuuccyy!  What have you done?"  She said, imitating Ricky Ricardo.

            "Alexandra, here's your suitcase, sweetie."  Sydney said, setting it down next to the door.  Vaughn snuck a peek at the room.  The bunk bed was shoved against one wall, while two dressers sat against the other.  Toys and dolls littered the floor.  The one window over looked the roof of the building next to it, but shed plenty of light on the small room.

            "Ok."  Alexandra said, her parent's presence, never fazing her.

            Juliana looked up, and smiled.  "*We're playing with dolls!*" She explained.  

            They only nodded and smiled.  Juliana was kind enough to shut the door for Sydney and Vaughn.  

            "Do you think that they know that they are playing two very different games?"  Vaughn whispered.

            "No, but don't tell them.  Telling them will only ruin what is going on in there.  Besides, I think they would have a problem playing the same game."  Sydney said.  "Is Alexandra a sucker for classic TV?"

            "Yeah.  My fault.  I am a sucker for classic TV.  Alexandra sort of picked up on the same habit."

            "Yea well, everything Juliana was doing was just part of daily life for me.  Never can find my keys."  Sydney led Michael to the far end of the hall.  "This is the room you'll be staying in."

            Vaughn looked around the room.  It didn't fit the décor of the rest of the room.  It had more antique furniture, with darker tones.  He looked around at the things.  "This is your room."  He observed, looking at the picture of Sydney and Juliana hanging on the edge of the mirror.

            "Yeah.  I think that  Luis and Rosa would feel a little more comfortable knowing that I'm the one in their bed, and not you.  No offense or anything."

            "None taken."

            "I'm just going to be on the far end of the hall."  Sydney threw her hand back to show where her room was, knocking over a vase on the hall table.  She quickly tried to stumble to catch it before it crashed to the ground, but to no avail.  The vase fell, and rolled.

            "It didn't shatter!"  Vaughn said, amazed.

            "It's not glass.  We learned not to have glass on the hall table when Juli was learning to walk."  She picked up the vase, and put the dried flowers back into it.

            "When Alexandra had really begun to walk around, you would set her on the ground, and she would take three steps, before realizing that she was walking by herself.  She would then freak out, and get onto her hands and knees again.  But she didn't like crawling. So she would stand up, and start the whole process again.  She has since gotten over her fear of walking."

            "I hate not remembering this kind of thing.  That is the kind of thing that a mother should remember.  I can remember that stuff for Juliana.  Alexandra should feel left out."

            "It wasn't your fault Sydney."  Vaughn said, as Sydney began to cry.  "There wasn't anyway you could have known."

            "What went wrong?  How did this happen?"

            "Do you really want to know?" Sydney nodded.  Vaughn pulled Sydney into the bedroom.  "Ok, first off, Alexandra knows nothing of the CIA.  So when we talk about it, we need to be quiet.  You had come to Barcelona to retrieve a document.  The house that it was kept in, was hosting a big party that night.  You had gone in as Jessica English.  Larson had gone as your husband, Landon English.  He stayed behind in the van when you went into the basement to get it.  From there, we don't really know what happened.  Somewhere between when Rosa found you, and from the time you had last talked to base ops, the KGB had shot Larson, killing him, and zapped him, so his transmitter wouldn't work.  They must have zapped you wrong, not only getting your earpiece, but your head too.  This is where it was all speculation.  You probably fell unconscious, and they thought you were dead, and left.  Woke up, and you had no memories or anything."

            "There was a fight."  She added.

            "You remember a fight?"

            "No.  But their had to be.  Rosa found me, and my leg was really cut up.  I still bear the scars."  Sydney lifted her pants a little to show a long scar that stretched for most of her calf.

            "God, Syd.  I am so sorry."

            "For what?"

            "Not finding you sooner."

            "You did your best.  I should have come second.  Alexandra should be first.  You have done a good job with her."

            "Thanks.  You have done a super job with Juliana."

            "Thank you."  There was an uneasy silence between the two as they tried to think of something to continue the conversation with, or to start a completely new conversation.  After several minutes, Sydney spoke. "Do you think I will ever remember?"

            "What?"

            "Do you think I will ever remember what had happened?  Or anything before that night?"

            "In LA we have people that can help you."  Vaughn lingered on the thought for a minute.  He turned to face Sydney, their lips inches away, each lost in the other's eyes. "Come back to LA with me."

            "Ok."  Sydney said, not putting up any resistance this time.  She leaned over and gently kissed him.  There was a familiarity in the kiss.  It sent a shiver down her spine. Sydney couldn't recall in her few boyfriends that she had had, where there was such passion, such tenderness, such love in one little kiss. It felt natural to be kissing Vaughn.  Something she could never remember feeling.  But yet, she could remember the feeling of the world in just one kiss. "But after the school year."  She quietly whispered.

            "What?"  Vaughn checked, not believing what had just happened.  "You said that you would come with me."

            "Yes."

            "Sydney, you have just made me so happy."  Vaughn said. He leaned over for a second kiss.  Vaughn wanted to curl up in his wife's kiss.  He couldn't picture himself happier in six years then right then.  She didn't know it, but there was so much, understanding in the kiss.  Without words, Sydney showed that she trusted Vaughn, that she still loved Vaughn.  "I would trade everything in the world for your kiss."  He whispered, as they kissed for a third time.

            "Me too Vaughn." She quietly moaned.  

            Vaughn suddenly pulled back.  "You called me Vaughn!"  He jumped up exclaiming.

            Sydney didn't see what was so big about that.  "So?"

            "Since I came here, you haven't once called me Vaughn.  It has just been Michael."

            "Before, your accident, you mostly stuck to Vaughn.  It was a little thing between us. Even when we were married, you called me by my last name.  Confused the hell out people because your name is also Vaughn.  But not once have you called me by our last name.  It has always Michael."

            "So?"

            "It's just like when you called Alexandra, Alex."

            "A memory?"

            "Maybe."

            "Probably more like a memory of the head.  Everything is happening so fast Michael, from two memories, to this.  Promising to go back to LA when the school year is over.  I don't know what to think.  But it definitely feels good and right."

            "Good."

            "Daddy?"  A little voice said.  Sydney and Vaughn tore their eyes away from each other, and saw Alexandra and Juliana standing at the door.

            "Uncle Eric is on the phone."

            "I didn't hear the phone ring."

            "Your cell phone.  Juliana and I were downstairs getting something to drink, when your phone rang.  I answered it for you."

            "Thanks Alexandra."  Vaughn got off the bed, and took the phone from his daughter.  He excused himself to the hall to talk to Weiss.

            "Are you guys having fun?  ¿Se estais divirtiendo?"

            "Yes."

            "Sí."  Both girls agreed, nodding their heads.

            "¿Qué estais jugando?What are you playing?"

            "We got bored with dolls.  So I don't know."

            "¡Las muñecas!" [Dolls!]

            "Alexandra piensa que ya no estais jugando con munecas." [Alexandra seems to think that you're not playing with dolls anymore.]
    
                   "Ah, entonces vamos a jugar al parque. Podemos ir al parque? ¿Por favor Mamá? ¿Por favor?" [Oh, then we will play at the park.  Can we go to the park?  Please Mama?  Please?]
    
                   "Si. Tened cuidado cuando cruzeis la calle. Y no os quiteis los zapatos." [Yes.  Be careful when you cross the street. And leave your shoes on.]

            "¡Gracias Mamá!" [Thank you Mama!]

            "What's going on?"  Alexandra asked, feeling left out.

            "Juliana wants to go to the park, half a block from here.  You want to go?"

            "Yeah!"

            "Ok.  Watch her for me. And I want you guys to keep your shoes on."

            "Ok!"  Juliana and Alexandra went running out of the bedroom, and down the stairs.

            "Woah!  Where's the fire?"  Vaughn shouted to their retreating backs.  "¡Juliana, no vayas tan rapido!" [Juliana, slow down!]

            "Sorry Daddy!"  Alexandra said, as she slowed down.

            "Sorry!"  Juliana answered, in English.  Her accent was broken, but the word was clear and concise.  They both walked out, giggling.

            "Where are they going?"  Vaughn asked, as Sydney met him in the hall.

            "The park."

            "Juliana said sorry to me.  In English."

            "One of the few English words she knows and uses."

            "Really."

            "Yea.  What did Eric want?"     

            "Just a work thing.  This new agent I'm supervising went on a mission yesterday, and got shot.  He's not badly hurt, but I needed to be informed of this kind of thing."

            "You seem to have bad luck with your agents.  Falling in love with one of them, and letting another get shot…"

            "Hey, for my defense.  She fell in love with me as well.  And Andrew is just an overall klutz.  He shot himself in the leg with a tranq gun last week.  Wait, you said love was bad luck?"

            "Only while you still had to hide it."

            "That's true."

            "What ever became of those two star crossed lovers?"

            "We have plans to live happily ever after."  Vaughn said, as the two kissed.  

*          *          *          *          *


	17. Monday

Ok.  I've got another thing for you to keep your eye out for.  When you see a word surrounded by ** then its in French.  So like if you see, "**We almost got lost**" Its in French.  If you see "*We almost got lost,*" Its in Spanish.  If you see "We almost got lost," That is in English.  Hope it's not too confusing.

*          *          *          *          *

            Monday morning Vaughn slowly opened his eyes.  "Jet lag is a bitch." He said, as he slowly got dressed.  The apartment stood still, as if it was the calm before the storm.  He looked over at the clock on the night stand.  10:32. "Am I seriously the first one up?"  He mumbled as he opened the door.  He half expected to hear his daughters giggling to cartoons downstairs, but it was still.  As he made his way down the hall, he peered into his daughter's room.  Juliana's bed was empty and made.  Alexandra still slept peacefully.  Sydney's door was shut tight.  Vaughn quietly made his way down the stairs, to find an empty lower level.  He walked over to the fridge.  A note was stuck to it.

            _Michael and Alexandra._

_                        Today is Monday.  Juliana and I have to return to our daily lives.  We should be back at about 4.  There should be a couple of travel brochures on the table.  Feel free to see the city.  See you guys when we get home!_

_Sydney__._

            Vaughn looked onto the table, where brochures indeed did sit.  He poured a cup of coffee for himself.  He then pulled out a pan and began to cook some eggs.  As they sizzled on the stove, he walked upstairs to wake Alexandra.  "Angel, it's time to get up."  He said, gently shaking her.

            "No Daddy.  I don't want to get up."

            "Come on.  Only way to fix jet lag is to get up.  Come on, lets go!"

            "No."

            "Alexandra. Get up now."

            "Why?"

            "Because we are going to go see the city."

            "Where is Mommy and Juliana."

            "They had to go back to school.  They will be home at four."

            "Awww…"

            "Come on, up and at them Angel."

            "Ok Daddy."

            "I'll be downstairs.  I want you downstairs in twenty minutes."

            "K."  Alexandra rolled over in her bed.  

            "I meant it.  Don't make me come up here, and still find you asleep."

            "Yes Daddy."  Vaughn closed the door, and went downstairs to finish making breakfast.  He heard thumping sounds from the bedrooms above, and knew that Alexandra had woken up.  Five minutes later, she came running down the stairs.  "Morning Daddy."

            "Good morning Angel.  What do you want to do today?"

            "I don't know.  What is there to do?"

            "I was thinking about just taking a bus, and seeing where we end up."

            "Ok.  But we can't get lost."

            "No, we can't."

            "You get lost a lot."

            "I do not!"

            "You got us lost at the zoo."

            "I couldn't find the monkeys!"

            "I couldn't find the monkeys!"  Alexandra mimicked.

            "Ha.  Ha.  Eat your eggs."

            "Where is the pepper?"  Alexandra asked.  "You forgot to add a little bit of pepper to the eggs."

            "That is because I couldn't find some.  Maybe if we see a store, I could pick up some pepper for us."

            "Is there at least salt?"

            "Yup."  Vaughn handed her a salt shaker.  "I am going to take a shower.  Stay out of mischief, and then we will go."

            "K."  

            Vaughn dashed up the stairs.  After a quick shower, he ran back down the stairs.  He found Alexandra flipping aimlessly through the channels. 

            "Nothing is in English."  

            "We're in Spain honey."

            "I know.  But maybe something would have been in English."

            "Good thought.  Are you ready to go?"

            "Yup."  

            "Ok, then.  Let's go."  Vaughn grabbed his coat, and the two ran out.  The first stop they made was the plaza.  He had Alexandra pose in front of a bunch of buildings, for pictures.  They got their lunch at some of the venders.  "Ok, where now Angel?"  Vaughn asked, as they took bites out of their food while sitting on a park bench.

            "We should go see Mommy."

            "I think she is at work.  Maybe later in the afternoon we can stop by."

            "Ok!"

            "Come on!  We have got more to see."  

            "I'm not finished eating Daddy!"

            "Ok, we wait."

            "Thank you."

            "Hey Alexandra?"

            "Yeah?"

            "How would you feel about Juliana and Mom possibly visiting us this summer?"

            "Only visit?"

            "Maybe move?"

            "YEAH!  I would love that! Oh really Daddy?  Will they really come and live with us?  That would be the coolest thing ever."  She put her food down next to her, and threw her arms around her father.

            "Ok, your mother and I have only talked a little about this. I'm not even sure if I should be talking to you about this."

            "It's ok Dad.  I won't tell Juliana. I can't."

            "And you can't bring this up with your mother either."

            "I promise."

            "Good.  So you like the idea?"

            "Yes."  

            "Come on.  Let's go now.  You seem to be done eating now."

            "I am!"  She jumped up off the bench, and took Vaughn's out stretched hand.  She skipped along side him, as they went off for another adventure.  

            Sydney forcefully closed her folders as she prepared to leave.  "Hey there Jessica."  Shana said approaching Sydney's office.

            "Shana, hey."

            "Leaving work?"

            "Yes.  I have got to pick up Alexandra."

            "Alexandra?"

            "Oh, I'm sorry, Juliana.  I have to pick up Juliana.  I have to meet Alexandra at home."

            "Ah yes.  School is out."

            "Oh shush.  You have a nanny."

            "My mother doesn't really count."

            "I think she does.  You try being a single mother, and then you can complain about your mother being your nanny.  Frankly, if I knew who my mother is, I would beg her to be Juliana's nanny."

            "Who is Alexandra?  You've never mentioned her before, and suddenly you're mixing her up with Juliana."

            "Can you keep a secret?"

            "What are we, third graders?"

            "No, Alexandra is."

            "And she is?"

            "My daughter."

            "Excuse me?"

            "My husband, who I've forgotten, because of well, you know.  He showed up a couple weeks ago.  And Alexandra is our daughter.  And they are in town for a couple of days."

            "What are you doing at work then?"

            "Um, teaching?"

            "Why aren't you using up your vacation time?"

            "Because."

            "Because why?  You should be at home, spending time with this family of yours that is only here for a couple of days."

            "Juliana still has to go to school."

            "But you should be at home."

            "They leave Friday."

            "See, that gives you three more days with them.  You can probably get a sub for those three days too."

            "Are you trying to get rid of me Shana?"

            "No.  Just looking out for your well being."

            "Thanks."

            "Any time Jessica."

            "Actually it's Sydney."

            "Sydney.  Not English?"

            "No.  Vaughn."

            "Sydney Vaughn.  Are you going to change your desk plate?"

            "Don't think so.  My students don't know about me not remembering things."

            "Ok.  Listen.  This is my classroom.  Time to teach French."

            "I will see you later Shana."

            "You too Jess- I mean Sydney."  Sydney smiled, and walked to the school.  Juliana sat on the hill, as she did most days.  But today, Sydney was worried for the first time.  There were two other people there with her.  Older people.  She broke out into a run, to make sure that Juliana was ok.  As she got closer, she breathed a sigh of relief.  Not only was she ok, but she was with people they both trusted.  

            "Mama!"  Juliana cried at her approaching mother.

            "Michael, Alex, what are you guys doing here?"

            "Came to see you guys."

            "*Look Mama!  They came to pick me up.  They wanted to surprise me.  Did you know about this Mama?  Because this is the coolest thing ever.*"

            "*No. They surprised me too.*"

            "Let's go home."  Sydney said.  She only extended a hand, to Juliana as her only translation.

            "**Michael, I've decided to not go to work until you and Alexandra leave**"  Sydney said, masking under the veil of French as to not let neither Alexandra or Juliana catch their conversation.

            "**Any reason we're speaking French?**"

            "**I want to surprise Alexandra, but not make Juliana jealous.**"

            "**Oh.  Did you have anything particular in mind to do?**"

            "**No.  But Shana suggested that I take work off, and I thought it was a good idea.  I mean you're only in Spain for a couple of days and I figured that I should be using this to my full advantage.**"

            "**But you agreed to come to LA.**"

            "**It's still not every day that you are in Barcelona.  You need a tour guide.**"

            "**How true.  Alexandra,**"  Alexandra looked over at her father, at the mention of her name.  "Yes, we're talking about you." Vaughn said, directing it at his daughter.  "**We almost got lost.**"

            "**Almost?**"

            "**Yes, Almost.  And I'm not going to tell you anymore.**"

            Sydney laughed.  "**Oh really**"

            "**Yeah really.**"

            "*Mama?  When is Tía and Tío Luis and Raquel coming back?*" Juliana asked.

            "*Saturday love.  They went to go see Raquel's grandma.  Remember how I told you she was sick?*"

            "*Oh yeah.*"

            "Mommy?  Do you have a soccer ball?  I want to show you how well I can play soccer!"

            "Why does everyone want to talk to me right now?"

            "Because you're the Mom!" 

            "Of course because I'm the Mom."

            "So do you have one?"

            "I don't know.  *Juliana, do we have a soccer ball?*"

            "*Yeah.  You got mad at me last week because I was playing with it in the apartment, and so you took it away from me.*"

            "*I know honey, I was being sarcastic.*"

            "*Oh.*"

            "Alex, we have a very nice soccer ball.  Maybe when we get home you can show me."

            "Cool."  

            Sydney grabbed Juliana's hand as they crossed the street after the four got off the bus.  Automatically, she felt a second small hand slip into her own.  She looked down to see Alexandra's hand nestled tightly within her own.  She smiled over at Vaughn, who held Juliana's other hand.  All four were linked.  Like a family.


	18. Soul Mates

*          *          *          *          *

For the next three days, Sydney showed Alexandra and Vaughn around town.  Sydney began to find herself falling in love with Vaughn.  Vaughn discovered a new Sydney, a Sydney that wasn't plagued with fear that someone would try to kidnap her daughters.  The sweet song of Sydney's laugh filled Vaughn's heart with joy.  Sydney began to find the little things more important than the big things, as she held Vaughn's hand when Alexandra wasn't looking.  At night, after the girls went to bed, they stayed up late talking, with the TV softly reporting the news in the background.  But the news was only in case Juliana came down the stairs and asked what they were talking about (the CIA was the topic that night), as she did on Monday.  With the news, they could use the stories that they only half, actually, less than half, paid attention to.

"Do you believe in soul mates?"  Sydney randomly asked one night.

"I'm sorry.  What did you say?"  Vaughn asked.  The sports had just started, and Vaughn turned to see the soccer results, seeing as they wouldn't be posting his scores on the TV.

"Do you believe in soul mates?"  Sydney asked again.

"Yes.  I believe you're my soul mate.  I love you Sydney."

Sydney smiled, and blushed turning away slightly.  "I was thinking the same thing."  She leaned over, and passionately kissed Vaughn.  He only smiled, and grabbed her chin, to kiss her back.  Unbeknownst to either, at the top of the stairs, two little girls giggled; as they watched their parents kiss.  The older, motioned for the younger to return to the bedroom, where they continued to giggle at the sight they just witnessed.  The Wednesday morning, Vaughn rolled over smiling, at his sleeping wife quietly laid next to him.

Sydney silently slipped downstairs Thursday morning.  Vaughn was asleep in the bedroom down he hall, and she didn't want to wake him.  Alexandra and Juliana were still sleeping.  "*Juli, time to get up sweetie.  You've got school.*" Sydney gently shook her youngest daughter awake.

"*No Mama.  I want to stay home today.*"

"*Not an option.  We'll see about tomorrow though, ok?  Now get up, and get into your uniform.*"

"*Ok.*" Juliana stepped out of bed, and walked over to her dresser.  Satisfied, Sydney turned to leave before a small voice called her to turn around.

"Mommy?"

"Yes?"

"Where are you going?"

"I have to take Juli to school, just like I have every morning."

"Can I come?"

"You want to go to Juliana's school?"

"Yah huh."

"Are you awake?"  Sydney asked.  She looked at Alexandra's face, where her eyes were open, and awake, although they looked very tired.

"Yup, I'm just not moving yet."

"*Juli, do you mind if Alexandra goes to school with you today?*"

"*She wants to go?*"

"*She sure does.*"

 "*Ok, but tell her my teacher is mean.  Tell her that Mama.*"

"*Alright.*  Alex, Juliana would love to have you come to school with her, but wants you to know that she thinks her teacher is mean."

"So I can go?"

"As long as her school doesn't mind.  Come on, get up, and wear that skirt you brought, and your white blouse so you will blend in better.  I want you two downstairs for breakfast in 20 minutes. Veinte minutos."

"Sí Mama."

"Ok, Mom."

Sydney walked into Vaughn's bedroom, and sat down next to him on the bed, and tenderly shook him awake.  "Michael."

Vaughn woke up to his angelic wife gently calling to him.  "Hi Syd."

"Hi.  Alexandra is going to school with Juliana, so it will be just you and me today."

"That doesn't sound like Alexandra.  Who suggested it?"

"Alex actually."

"Ok."

"So I am going to run them over to school, and then you and I can spend your last day in Barcelona together.  And its Thursday so Shana's mother Deloris takes care of Juli and Raquel until six.  I'm sure a simple exchange of Raquel for Alexandra won't be a problem."

"Shana?"

"Oh, I work late on Thursdays generally.  Shana is one of my coworkers.  Her mother watches her son, Philip every day.  Thursdays I work late, Luis has the night shift at the hospital, and Rosa visits her mother.  I'll call Deloris about it when I get back."

"Ok, but don't eat breakfast now."

"And why not?"

"Because I'll have breakfast waiting for you."

He reached his hand up, looking for something.  His target wasn't hard to miss, and Vaughn's hand found Sydney's face straight away, and began to softly stroke the side of her face.  Sydney's lips found Vaughn's hand, and she laid her gently lips on the palm of his hand as it came around her mouth.  "Sounds heavenly."  She whispered.  The shutting of the bathroom door caused Sydney to turn.  "I have got to make breakfast for the girls.  I'll be back later." Sydney promised before leaving.  Vaughn could only beam as she left.  He had a surprise up his sleeve.  While the girls were getting dressed upstairs, Sydney paused in the hall to call Deloris, who of course was thrilled to watch Alexandra. 

Sydney opened the fridge door as two bouncy girls jumped down each and every stair.  To her dismay, she found nothing to cook, and instead pulled out a gallon of milk to feed the girls cereal with.  It concerned her, the lack of breakfast food, because Vaughn was going to cook her breakfast, but Sydney figured he could manage on his own.  The girls ran to the table and sat quietly upright, waiting for their food to be placed in front of them.  

"*Why so proper Juli?  You jumped down the stairs.*"

"*Because its funny.*" Sydney placed two bowls of cornflakes in front of the girls, and Juliana began to eagerly eat it up.

"I hope you like cornflakes Alex." Sydney said.  "We are out of everything else.  I just haven't had time to go to the store this week."

"Do you have any sugar?"

"Do you want desert with lunch?"

"Yes."

"Do you want sugar on your cornflakes?"

"Yes."

"You can't have both.  Pick one."

Alex scrunched up her nose at the thought of having to pick between a good breakfast, or a great lunch.  "Choose quickly.  Your cornflakes are getting soggy."  Sydney advised.

"I'll have desert."  Alexandra reluctantly decided.

"That's what I thought." Sydney went to the kitchen and began to make two lunches.  "Juli, don't forget about Deloris after school today, ok?  You and Alexandra are both going.  I already called Deloris and she is ok with that.  Watch out for Alex, ok?  You know that Philip and Deloris don't speak a word of English, so help out your sister as much as you can, ok?"

"Sí Mama."

"Finish quickly; we have to catch the bus in a minute.  *Eat faster.*" Juliana and Alexandra began to scarf down their breakfast as Sydney grabbed their spring jackets, and Juliana's day pack.

Sydney posed as a translator as Juliana explained to Alexandra all about her school, on the bus.  The school, nor teacher had no problem with Alexandra staying, provided that Juliana wouldn't get over excited about it.  Sydney made it very clear with both girls that they needed to be on their very best behavior, to which they both agreed.  "Ok, I'll see you guys at 6.  Véalo en 18:00."  Sydney said, kissing each on their head.  Juliana, had no problem with this statement, and skipped happily to her cubby, to put her day pack away.  She ran back, and tugged at Alexandra's arm, but Alexandra wasn't moving.   Her eyes were wide with fright.

"Six!  I thought school was over at three!"  She cried to her mother.

"You guys are going to spend the afternoon with Deloris, on of my friends, just like Juliana and Raquel do every Thursday.  Is that ok?"

Alexandra, though still looking very frightened, silently nodded.  Sydney gave an encouraging smile, and sent them on their way.  On the bus ride home, Sydney only sat there day dreaming about what was waiting for her back home.  She drifted into a haze and was rudely awakened as she in a half daze watched her apartment building pass.  Sydney scrambled out of her seat to catch the next bus stop two blocks down the road.

Sydney took her time unlocking the door, because she could hear Vaughn scrambling to hide something from inside.  She opened the door to the aroma of eggs frying.  "Mmm… smells better than what I served the girls."  She replied, keeping it to herself that she knew that he was hiding something from her.

"Omelets."

"How?  There was nothing even remotely breakfast-y in the fridge when I left."

"I sprinted three blocks to the corner market.  Got some eggs, and mushrooms, and cheese, and peppers, and ham, just the way you like them, and some bread, because growing up at my house, when we had omelets for breakfast, my mother always bought a loaf of bread to go with it."

"Did you do that when we were married?"

"Generally not actually.  Most mornings we both would dash off to work with a cup of coffee, and a kiss.  When there was time for breakfast, you always seemed to prefer pancakes, and waffles.   So we didn't have all that many omelets."

"That's too bad.  I like omelets."

"Good."

The small round table was set for two, with two candles lit.  It seemed over done for breakfast to Sydney, but Vaughn pointed out since them going out to a nice romantic dinner was out of the question, that a candle lit breakfast would have to do.  Sydney only laughed.  She smiled as they ate breakfast, and talked about nothing important.  As she was finishing her last bites, and they were talking, about nothing at all, Vaughn suddenly stopped talking about which kind of cheese was best on home made pizzas.  "Syd, I want to ask you something really important now."

"Ok."  Sydney said, not sure where the conversation was going.

"I've been thinking about this all week.  I know its fast and all, but I just can't stop thinking about you. You are my universe, my sun, upon which my Earth revolves around.  You have blessed me with the two most wonderful daughters anyone has ever had.  These past six years have been one long night, without you there.  I need you to breathe."  Vaughn got out of his chair, and took Sydney's hand, before bending down on one knee.  Sydney held her breath, now know knowing exactly where Vaughn was going.  "I love you Sydney.  Sydney Bristow Vaughn, will you marry me again."

Sydney gasped, and knew exactly what to say.

*          *          *          *          *


	19. The Departure

*          *          *          *          *

            Vaughn was down on one knee smiling proudly at Sydney, his wife, and someone he wanted to marry again.  Never in his life did he think that he would marry Sydney once, let alone asking her to marry him again.  He continued to smile, as he saw Sydney not smiling back at him.  It was all he could do to hide his disappointment.  "Michael."  Sydney said, her smile quickly fading.  "Michael."  His name seemed to be the only thing she could say.  She knew her answer, but there was no way she could tell him, and she didn't want to sound like a complete fool.  "Michael."  She tried again, this time successful in getting past his name.  "I- I." But she couldn't make it any farther.

            "I see, you don't feel the same."  Vaughn hung his head low, and tried not to show the hint of a tear forming in his eye.  He moved slowly back to his seat, and pulled his hand back, but Sydney grabbed it, and squeezed it tight.

            "No, it's not like that at all!"  Sydney quickly corrected.  "I just met you.  I mean, I know you've known me for years.  But I still just met you. The memories still aren't there.  I think it would be too soon for me."  Vaughn still looked like a lost puppy.  Sydney knew what she had to say. It was still written on her heart.  Even now, she still felt the same.  But it was the first time she would admit it since they returned to each other's lives.  "I love you too Vaughn, but it's too soon for me.  Maybe, once I get to know you better.  I don't even know your favorite color…"

            "Brown.  Like your eyes and your hair."  Sydney blushed.  

"Michael."  Sydney began to say something, but Vaughn cut her off.

"That's my favorite color, because when I see brown, it reminds me of your beauty.  But second favorite is blue.  Sydney, I know you think it is fast, but I don't.  Forget about what your head is telling you.  Just feel.   If you really feel like marrying me again is too fast, I want you to know that I will wait until the end of the world for you."

            "I only learned I was not Jessica English, single mother of one, a month ago.  Suddenly, I am Sydney Bristow Vaughn, mother of two, wife to the most fantastic man, and I still don't know where I belong in life.  But you and Alexandra fit into my puzzle perfectly.  I don't want to screw it up by moving too fast."

            "I understand completely."

            "You do?"

            "Yeah."

            "I'm so glad.  We can see where and how things go after I move to LA this summer."  

"Yeah."  An awkward silence filled the room.  There is often nothing to say after a marriage proposal has been turned down. 

They cleaned up from breakfast, silently walking on eggshells.  "You're not upset I hope."  Sydney checked.

"Sydney, honey, why would I be upset?"

"Well, you know."

"You're still by my side.  Why should I be upset about that?  You're still planning on moving to LA, why should I be upset?  I still have you.  I could never be upset."

"I have to tell Juliana about moving tonight."

            Vaughn dropped the spoon he was cleaning.  "You haven't told her?

            Sydney couldn't look Vaughn in the eye.  She just dried the plates, unable to see Vaughn's hurt face.  "I'm not sure she'll take it very well.  It isn't like moving her across the country.  I'm moving her to the other side of the ocean.  Rosa has been like a second mother.  And Luis like her father.  And she and Raquel are close like sisters.  I'll be taking everything from her.  Even the words she speaks will become cast aside.  Juliana doesn't take change very well."

            "She's only five.  She'll adjust very well.  And Alexandra will be so happy to have her sister living with her."  Vaughn said.

            "I know that.  I know that she will probably do even better, but she doesn't understand.  The other night, I was tucking her in, and she asked if you guys were going to come and live here with us."       

            Vaughn's voice was barely above a whisper.  "And what did you say?"

            "I told her that it was doubtful."

            "What did she do?"

            "Gave me a blank stare, like when I told her about you guys, and turned over in her bed.  I think that she got that we will never live together.  I don't think she got that we're the ones moving.  But I am going to straighten it out tonight.  After dinner."

            "About that."

            "About what?"

            "Moving."

            "Yeah?"

            "When."

            "When was I thinking about moving?"

            "Yeah."

            "August.  That way we have plenty of time after school gets out to pack."

            "So after I leave tomorrow, with Alexandra, we won't see each other until August?  Sydney, I don't know if I can live without you that long."

            "You've done it six years.  What's another 5 months?"

            "Eternity."  They were once again blanketed in a vale of silence, as they both were recalling the proposal.  

            "So um…" Sydney tried to start a new conversation, as it kept her mind off of what had happened.  "What time is your flight?"  The information was on the fridge, but anything to start a conversation.

            "We need to be at the airport at 8 tomorrow morning."  Vaughn didn't want to talk about leaving.  He just couldn't bear the thought of leaving Sydney, ever.

            "So a 10 flight."

            "10:30 actually."  

            "I'm going to let Juliana come with us tomorrow morning.  She has been dying to spend a day with us, but her teacher really disapproves of anyone missing school.  There are some things that she shouldn't miss."  Sydney turned to Vaughn, beaming at him.  He smiled back at her.  But they went back to the dishes.

            Silence over came them again.  Sydney couldn't bear it anymore.  She walked over to the stereo, and turned on some music, letting the sweet melodies drift through the apartment.  Vaughn put down the dishrag he was drying with, and grabbed Sydney.  He dragged her to a spot in the living room, and he began to dance.  Sydney smiled, and danced along, laughing and smiling as they danced their morning away.

            That afternoon, they just basked in each other's company, watching movies.  A third through Kate and Leopold (Sydney's choice) Sydney looked up at Vaughn.  "Tell me about LA."  She demanded.

            Vaughn was taken aback by the question.  "W-w-what?"  He stuttered.

            "Tell me about what our life was like in LA.  If I can't remember it, tell me about it."

            Vaughn smiled.  "You know.  In LA, we can get you into some regression therapy, probably courtesy of the CIA, and you could remember it all."

            "I might just take you up on that offer.  But we're not in LA right now are we?  So for now, you have to tell me about it."

            Vaughn began to tell Sydney everything he could think of.  From what kind of cereal they ate for breakfast, to the restaurants that he and Alexandra liked to visit, to the kind of detergent they used on their sheets.  In the midst of it all, Sydney leaned back into Vaughn's embrace, letting his arms circle her.  The stories enchanted her like stories of fairies, castles, knights in armor, enchant a child.   She quickly fell asleep in his arms for an afternoon nap.  Vaughn didn't wish to wake her, and had the TV quietly going in the background.  But he too fell asleep, from the warmth, the comfort, the tranquility of the moment.  They were found sleeping in each other's arms when the girls and Deloris came around at six.  Deloris was the first through the door, and immediately saw the sleeping couple.  Figuring that it was their last night together for some time, that they could use even more time alone, she shut the door again, and told the girls that they were going to stay with her for a little longer.  As they were having fun, neither girl minded too much.  Deloris scribbled a quick note telling that she would return the girls at 8 that night, and put it on the counter while the girls waited outside.  

            Sydney woke with a jerk an hour after Deloris had stopped by.  She looked at the clock on the VCR, and noticed that it was just past seven.  Vaughn was still sleeping on the couch, his arm still around her shoulder.  He stirred when she sat up, but did not wake.  The only sound in the apartment came from the TV.  She double-checked her watch.  It read the same as the VCR.  The stillness upstairs was unnerving.  No one had woken them up.  Something wasn't right.  "Michael wake up!  It's seven, and the girls aren't home yet!"

            Vaughn wasted no time in jerking awake.  Sydney often would wake him up when Alexandra was young, when Sydney hadn't woken up to feed Alexandra, or change Alexandra for longer than unusual, and Alexandra was silent.   Sydney had an irrational fear that someone had come in the night and stolen their little angel. They would both go into Alexandra's room to find her sleeping quietly.  Over two years, he was used to Sydney jolting him awake with that sort of greeting.  And even after 6 years, he still responded the same.  "What do you mean, not home yet."

            "Do you hear anything?"

            Vaughn was quiet.  "No.  No, you're right.  It's too quiet for them to be home.  What time is Deloris supposed to drop off the girls?"

            "Six!"

            "Ok.  Has Deloris ever been late?"  Vaughn said, trying to calm her.  Sydney at this point had gotten up off the couch and began pacing wildly, looking at the floor.

            "Once, but she called.  And she was only late because they had to walk because her bus line was temporarily closed."

            "Maybe she left a note."

            "If she left a note, it would mean they were here.  If they were here, how come we didn't know?"  Sydney said. 

            Vaughn could see where she was coming from.  But decided to take a quick look around just in case.  He saw a piece of paper lying on the counter that he didn't recall seeing there before.  "What's this?" He said, walking over to the paper.

            Sydney followed him with her eyes, and figured where he was going.  "Just the grocery list."  

            "No, this is the grocery list."  Vaughn held up a piece of paper that lived a foot to his right.  He quickly read the note, and smiled.  "This is a note from Deloris, explaining that the girls are still with her, so we can have some more time to ourselves.  She saw us asleep.  She's bringing the girls back at 8."  He said.  Sydney stopped pacing, and took the note from Vaughn.  She quickly scanned it for herself.  Upon her finish of the note, she began to laugh wildly.  Vaughn couldn't see what was so funny.  "What is it?"

            "Nothing.  You were right.  The last thing I expected was what came true."

            "Murphy's law."

            "I guess so.  I'm so sorry I got a little paranoid."

            "When it came to Alexandra, you always were."

            "So this isn't a new thing?"

            "You never wanted to return back to work, because you were afraid that someone would come and take her or something."

            "Really?"

            "You got better.  I mean, all you had to do was go to work.  But you could always panic when you were worried."

            Sydney only blushed at her mistake.   She didn't say anything more than, "I'll make us some dinner."

            "Do you need help?"  Vaughn offered.

            "I got it."  Vaughn nodded, and went into his bedroom and began to pack his things.  There wasn't much to pack.  It felt unnatural to be packing so little.  He was leaving his wife, and his daughter for months, and all he had was a small suitcase that held a week's worth of clothing.  It wasn't right.  You leave your wife and daughter, and you pack everything you can.  Not a week's worth of clothing.  Vaughn threw his stuff into his suitcase, sparing his clothing for the flight home, and went into Juliana's room to pack Alexandra's suitcase.  

            Their games were littered on the floor.  Drawings pinned to the walls.  Vaughn got down on his hands and knees, and tried to pick out Alexandra's stuff from a plethora of clothing.  Somberly, he put her things into her suitcase.  She had been packing her own things for years now, but Vaughn felt awkward around Sydney.  What could he say that would make her feel better about turning him down?   Obviously that was where all the awkwardness was coming from. Sydney.   It was written all over her face how guilty she felt.  It was written all over her face how much in love she was.    And it was the one time in his life that Vaughn had no idea how to make her feel better about it.  

            Vaughn couldn't express his ecstasy that Sydney had agreed to move to LA.  The four of them could be a family again.  Doing normal things from soccer games, to backyard barbeques with Francie, Joe, Will and Mia.  They could be the model family, as neither of them would work for the CIA anymore.  Jack would pop by every once in a while, to play the role of the caring grandfather.   But even with all of his hopes, Vaughn felt scared.  The Sydney he had gotten to know over the past week wasn't the same Sydney that he had fallen in love with.  He loves both Sydney's the same.  But the new Sydney seems insecure with herself.  And Vaughn couldn't help but feel worried that she would change her mind.  After all, she was going to wait until the last possible second to leave Barcelona.  And she did turn down his proposal.  Vaughn wasn't sure he could take that kind of rejection again.

            He was just about done packing when he heard Sydney warmly welcoming Deloris and the girls to the apartment.  Hurriedly, he threw the rest of Alexandra's stuff into her suitcase before heading  downstairs, to spend just a little more time with Juliana and Sydney before he and Alexandra had to leave the next day.  As an added bonus, he could smell beef stroganoff, only reminding him of the fact that he hadn't eaten since lunch.

            "Gracias Deloris.  Hasta luego."  Sydney said, shutting the door.  "*Juli, go change out of your uniform.*" Juliana did as she was told.  Sydney then turned to her other daughter. "Did you have fun Alexandra?"  She asked.

            "Yep.  School was boring though.  I didn't know what was going on, and they didn't have PE, or music, or Art, or computer or anything!"

            "You hit school on English day, didn't you?"

            "Yeah.  They made me talk a little then.  But that was ok."

            "And Deloris is really nice.  She kept telling me things, but I couldn't understand what she was really saying, but every time that she'd start telling me something, she'd laugh, the way that Grammy does when she's telling a story about me.  So I guess it was a good laugh."

            "Yep.  That does sound like a good laugh."  Sydney scooped some noodles onto two plates, and then added some beef stroganoff to the top.  "Michael, dinner." She said, sliding the plate down the counter.  "There's salad in the fridge."  She reported.

            "What no sit down?"  Vaughn asked, slightly upset, but not at all surprised.

            "**No.  I've got to go talk to Juliana.**" Sydney ran up the stairs, hoping to find Juliana still in her bedroom.  "Juli?" Sydney cautiously opened the door.

            "*Sí Mama?"  Juliana asked.

            "*I need to talk to you for a second.*" Sydney responded, by pulling Juliana onto her lap after sitting down on Raquel's bed.  Juliana remembered the last time her mother said those words, and remained silently picking at her mother's dress.  "*You like Daddy and Alexandra, right?*"

            "*I love them.*" Juliana corrected.

            "*I do too.  But they're going home tomorrow.*"

            "*I know.*"

            "*Juliana, this is the hard part.  In August, I agreed that you and I would move to live at their house, way on the other side of the ocean, because I love them very much too.*"

            Juliana began to tear up.  "*Why can't they move here?  I don't want to move!*"

            "*A lot of reasons that you're probably too young to understand.  But this will be a good move for us.  You'll get your own room, and a nicer teacher.  Juli, look up at me.  We will still be able to visit everyone here.  Almost anytime you want, we can call Tía, and Tío Luis, and Raquel.  And on holidays we can come visit them sometimes.  And- Juli, look at me- its going to be a good thing.*"

            "*That's not a good enough reason!*"

            "*Ok, you want the real reason.  Because Daddy asked me to.  And I said ok, because I don't want to live away from Daddy and Alexandra anymore.  I promise you Juli, this will be a good thing.  Understand me?*" Sydney asked.  Juliana didn't look up at her mother, but quietly nodded.  "*Good.  Tomorrow, how about you come to the airport and see them off.  And then you and I in the afternoon can go to the beach or something.  How does that sound?*"

            "*But its cold!*"

            "*We don't have to go swimming.  We could have a picnic instead, how does that sound?*"

            "*Ok.*" Neither Sydney nor Juliana moved, and they just sat there, pondering the upcoming new chapter in their lives.

            Sydney slowly opened her eyes, and rolled over, looking at the clock that sat by Rosa's bed.  The rain outside quietly patted down on the roof, making Sydney feel very relaxed.  She blinked as she double-checked the time.  She sprang from her bed, and ran down the hall.  "Wake up girls!"  She said, throwing the light on, and yanking the covers off the sleeping girls. "We overslept.  Come on, wake up.  Get dressed quickly!  We should be leaving right now!"  Juliana jumped out of bed, and then looked around confused.  Alexandra slowly sat up, and began to look for her socks.

            "*What's wrong mama?*" Juliana asked.

            "*We overslept.  We should be leaving right now.  Get dressed quickly, and grab a banana or something like that for breakfast.  Now, lets go.*"

            "*What about our picnic?  Do we have time to do that?*"

            Sydney thought quickly.  There wasn't time to pack a meal.  "*We'll grab a blanket from here, and then some McDonalds or something near the beach.*"

            "*Ok!*"  

"*Now hurry, get dressed.*"

Sydney sprinted down the hall, and violently shook Vaughn.  "Wake up Michael.   We need to leave as soon as everyone is dressed."

            Vaughn rolled over, and blinked double-checking the time.  He checked again, before realizing how late it was.  "Shit!"  Satisfied that everyone was up and moving, Sydney ran back to her room, and began to get dressed.  She ran down the stairs where Alexandra was already waiting for her.  

            "Good thing that Daddy packed everything last night? Right?"  Alexandra said optimistically.

            "Yup."  But Sydney was distracted.  She was looking out the window.  At the bus that just passed them.  Cursing just barely above her breath, Sydney picked up the phone book, and dialed a cab service.  "Who are you calling Mommy?"

            "A taxi.  The bus that just went by comes once every 15 minutes.  That was our bus.  We can't wait 15 minutes for another bus."  Alexandra sighed, as she went upstairs to go help everyone else along. Sydney called the cab.  "Gracias señor."  Sydney said.

            "Mom!  Juli can't find her shoe!"  Alexandra shouted from the stairs. 

            "Can you help them Michael?"  Sydney said.  "Check under the dresser, it's often under there, like behind a pile of clothing that she hides under there before going to bed."

            Vaughn's shirt was unbuttoned as he went flying into the girl's room to help them find Juliana's shoes.  Sydney caught a glance at his bare chest, and blushed.  He was still the perfect male.  "Sydney!  It's not up here!"  Michael called.

            "The taxi is going to be here in a minute.  Just put some of her summer sandals on her!"  

            "It's raining hard though."

            "It's either those or her winter boots.  Her choice."

            Sydney pulled out some fruit and put them on paper towels as everyone ran out the door, Juliana in her winter boots, after not finding one of her summer sandals.  The cab had been on the street honking for several minutes waiting for the scattered family to come down.  The suitcases were squeezed in the trunk, and the family got in the back.  The ride was slow.  Sydney rubbed her temples, as she saw a traffic jam ahead, and shouted an alternate route to the driver, who shouted back that he was on the quickest path to the airport.  Sydney watched as the parallel street that she suggested went by at an intersection, much clearer than the street they were on.  A trip that normally took 30 minutes, took about 50 minutes.  Leaving Vaughn and Alexandra extremely pressed for time by that time.  The rain began to pound harder, as they pulled into the airport.  "You guys have to run.  We can't go any farther than this point for international flights."  Sydney said, as they stood in line waiting to check in.  

            "I know Sydney."  Vaughn said as he tucked a few loose strands of hair behind her ear, before hugging her.  

            "I left some things unsaid, and in all the chaos of last night and this morning, I didn't get time to explain myself very well."  

            "Hey, that's what telephones are for."

            "*SIR!  I NEED YOU TO COME TO THE FRONT!*" A guard said, pulling Vaughn to the front in order for him and Alexandra to make their flight.

            "We got to go Sydney.  We'll see you in August, right?"

            "I wouldn't miss it for the world." Sydney said, kissing Vaughn on the cheek.  She then turned to Alexandra while Vaughn said good-bye to Juliana.  "Come here, Alex."  Sydney said.  Alex ran to her mother's arms, in tears.

            "I don't want to go home Mommy."

            "I know sweetie.  But don't forget that Juliana and I will be there in August, and we will be living there."

            "August is too far away."

            "If you ever need to talk to me, about whatever, you can always call me.  I don't care what time of day or night it is.  You understand Alex?" Alexandra nodded.  "Ok.   I love you, and we will see you very soon.  That is my deepest promise."  Sydney assured.

            "I love you too Mom."

            Vaughn had picked up Juliana in his arms to say his good byes.  "*I don't want you to go Daddy.*" Juliana said, clinging to his neck.

            "*I don't want to go either.  But Alexandra and I have to go back to school, and to get the house ready for you and Mommy to move in.  And we will talk on the phone a lot.  Sound good?*"

            "*Yup.  Mommy doesn't sing me to sleep like the way that you sing Alexandra to sleep every night.  I wish that she would.*"

            "*Well, we will have to see what we can do about changing that.  Maybe a couple times, I could even call you, and sing you to sleep.  How does that sound?*"

            "*Yeah.  I like that.*"

            "*Good.  Now.  We got to go, so you have to let go of my neck my Little Spanish Star.*"

            "*Bye Daddy.*'  Juliana said, giving his neck one last tight squeeze.  And then in very careful English, she said, "I love you!"

            Vaughn beamed.  "*Keep that English up and soon you'll be a pro!  I love you too.*"  

            Sydney pulled Juliana back into her arms, as Alexandra took Vaughn's hand, as they prepared to leave.  "See you soon Sydney.  I love you."

            "I love you too Michael."  Sydney said, before kissing Vaughn on the lips this time.

            "*Sir!  We need to leave now!*" Because Vaughn and Alexandra were running so late, they had a guard use a little electric car to rush them to their flight, which was already boarding, and the guard was getting a little impatient.  As they drove off, the waving never ceased until they had driven around the corner, and out of sight.

            "*I didn't want them to go Mama.*" Juliana cried into her mother's shoulder. "*I miss them already.*"

            Sydney rubbed her daughter's back to comfort her.  "*Neither do I, neither do I.*"

            "*Are we still going to the beach, because it's raining?*" Juliana asked, once her tears had been wiped, and they waited for a bus.

            "*Do you still want to go to the beach?*"

            "*No.  It's not fun when it's raining.  Can we go to a movie instead?*"

            "*Why not?*"

            Rosa, Raquel and Luis were home when Juliana and Sydney returned.  Luis' mother had passed away, and they had come home for the weekend to get some clean clothes, for the funeral.  Sydney watched them grieve together, as a family.  And Sydney thought back to the week that had just passed, she became very jealous.  They were a family for a week.  She wanted someone to always be there, someone to cry on.  Sydney suddenly felt very alone.

One night, two weeks after Vaughn and Alexandra's departure Sydney had had enough.  She didn't realize how much she needed Vaughn until he was gone.  She couldn't believe what an idiot she was.  Turning down his proposal like that!  What was she thinking?  She bolted up out of her bed, and ran into Rosa's room.  Luckily, Rosa and Luis were not doing anything that would embarrass her or them.  They were merely sleeping.

            "*Rosa.  Can you watch Juli for me?  I need to leave.*" Sydney desperately begged.

            "*Where are you going?*"

            "*LA.  And I don't know how long I will be gone.  I will be coming back of course.  I just need to go.*"           

            Rosa only smiled at her friend.  "*Have a good flight.*"

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	20. Doorbells

I am sorry that it took me forever to get this up.  I've had a really bad case of writers block.  Good news is, I think I've finally recovered.  

I want to thank my wonderful betas for always getting back to me promptly.  And my wonderful muse, who helps me get over the little bits of writers block, so I can write the next sentence.

And I want to thank everyone who faithfully reads this, and then leaves a quick review.  I may not make a million dollars, I don't even make a thousand dollars.  But you sure make me feel like a billion dollars when you leave a review.  So thanks!

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The rain thoroughly soaked Sydney by the time she had arrived at the front door.  The taxi had dropped her off at the end of the block, because Sydney couldn't remember what house number it was.  She only knew what it looked like.  What it smelled like. What it felt like.   

Alexandra was in her bedroom when she heard the doorbell ring.  Vaughn heard it from his study.  He rubbed his forehead, and furrowed his brow.  He wasn't in the mood to deal with any visitors.  His headache had doubled in the past hour after getting home from work.  And Alexandra wasn't helping any.  She only wanted him to teach her Spanish all the time.  He needed to grade exams from the week before that he had just kept putting off.  His students weren't any help either.  Rainy Fridays tended to do that to them.  "I'll get it!"  Alexandra yelled, jumping off her bed, and running to the door.   Her eyes lit of surprise, as she saw who was standing at the door.  Sydney quickly shushed her. 

"Where's your father?"  She asked, taking her daughter into a half hug.  She kept her voice low to not alert Vaughn of her presence.  

"Who is it Alexandra?"  Vaughn's voice asked.  Sydney shook her head, warning her daughter to keep her silence.

Alexandra nodded, and knew that Sydney wanted to surprise Vaughn.  "The study."  Alexandra answered her mother.  "Where's your suitcase?  I'll get it for you."

"I didn't bring one."  Sydney quietly tip toed her way to the study.  

"Alexandra, I said who is it?" Vaughn said, this time getting out of his seat.

The two collided at the study door.  Neither said anything, as they just looked into each other's eyes.

"Hi." Sydney quietly whispered.

"Sydney."  Vaughn breathlessly whispered.

They stood there for several minutes before Sydney broke the silence. "I need you to ask me again."

"Are you sure Sydney?"  Sydney confidently nodded.  Vaughn smiled getting down on one knee again.  And like before, he gingerly took her hand.  Their daughter was watching behind the corner, smiling, knowing what was happening.  "Sydney Bristow Vaughn, will you marry me again?"

"I can not believe I was such an idiot and said no earlier.  Yes.  I will marry you."  Sydney said.

"Are you sure this time?" Vaughn checked.

""Yes.  I jumped on a plane without second-guessing myself until I was halfway over the Atlantic I was so sure.  And the only reason why I second-guessed myself was because I left Juliana." 

Vaughn got up from his knees, ready to kiss his wife, when a giggle emerged from the end of the hallway.  Vaughn turned, and saw Alexandra standing there, half hidden.  He motioned for her to join them.  And then he scooped up Sydney and Alexandra in a large bear hug, causing both to laugh so hard that their sides burned. 

"So, you like the idea of us getting married, do you Alexandra?" Vaughn asked.

"Oh yes. I really, really, really like it."

Sydney leaned over and got eye level with Alexandra.  "So do I.  So do I."

"Hey Alexandra, I need to talk to your mom for a little bit. Why don't you go do your homework or something."  Vaughn instructed.

"I already did it."

"Then go watch some cartoons."  Alexandra was all too happy to oblige, and Vaughn led Sydney into the bedroom, _their_  bedroom.  Vaughn then took a good look at Sydney.  "You're soaked Syd!"  He exclaimed, running into the adjoining bathroom.  He came back and tossed a towel at her.  Sydney took it and wrapped it around herself.  "Why don't you change into some dry clothes?"

"I didn't bring any."  She admitted.  "I just sort of left."

"I think I still have some of your old clothes in a box in the closet."  Vaughn got up and walked over to the closet, and dragged a moving box out of the closet floor.  "This is the stuff that I refused to get rid of.  I held on for years Sydney.  I promise you that.  I never gave up, which is why I still have this box."

"I know you didn't."  Sydney moved and joined Vaughn on the floor.  Together they opened the box.  Sydney looked down at the neatly folded clothing.  

"These used to be your favorite things.  Or things that we just had a lot of memories behind."  She picked up a brown sweater.  She held it up, and stared at it.  It was probably something she should know.  But she couldn't remember. Vaughn looked over at Sydney just staring at the sweater.  "That used to be your favorite sweater." He explained to her.  

Sydney didn't know what came over her at that moment.  She didn't know if it was the sheer exhaustion from her trip, or the excitement of being engaged.  She couldn't tell if it was from the strain of remembering, or the cold feeling that accompanied the rain.  But Sydney just broke down into tears, collapsing into Vaughn's waiting arms.  He didn't say anything, as he just held her there on the bedroom floor.  The only sounds came from Sydney's quiet sobs, and Alexandra's distant cartoons.

  Sydney was feeling emotions that she hadn't felt in six years.  She felt lost and confused again.  When she first ran that night in Barcelona, Sydney looked for a place that was familiar.  But Spain wasn't her home, Los Angles was.  All those emotions were coming to her again.  She didn't know where she was anymore. Sure, she was in the house that she and Vaughn bought after they got married.  The only reason that she knew that was because Vaughn had told her.  She was looking at her clothing that should feel familiar to her.  That brown sweater should feel like the old favorite sweater that it was.   It should bring the warm memories that were likely attached with it.  Maybe she wore the sweater at a party where she and Vaughn danced the night away.  But Sydney didn't feel a thing when she picked up the sweater.  She only saw an old, worn sweater.  These lost feelings weren't unfamiliar to Sydney.  She had gone through this once before.  But her old anchors weren't there. There was no Rosa.  There was no Juliana.  Sydney took Vaughn's arms and wrapped them tighter around her as a subconscious reminder that she had a new anchor now.  She had Vaughn again.  And somehow, she knew she was going to be safe.

Sydney fell asleep in Vaughn's arms.  But he didn't seem to mind.  Gently, he picked her up, and placed her on the bed.  She barely stirred as she turned onto her side for more comfort.  As if kissing a child, Vaughn leaned over and planted a soft kiss on Sydney's forehead before leaving.

"Where's Mommy?"  Alexandra demanded upon seeing her father in the hallway.

"She's taking a nap.  So you need to be extra careful not to wake her.  Understand?"

"Yup."

"Good.  I need to go to the store to get some stuff for you mom."

"Like what?"  Alexandra asked.

"Well, we haven't needed to be well stocked with coffee ice cream in a while.  That was definitely your mom's favorite… as well as a couple other things.  Will you be ok here with your mom?"

"Yes Daddy."

"Good keep it down.  Don't wake her unless…"  Vaughn prompted Alexandra to finish his sentence.

"Unless there is a big, major emergency."

"Or?"

"Or what?"

"Or if Juliana calls.  Mommy really needs to talk to her."

"Got it."

"I'll see you later Angel."  Vaughn said before leaving.  

Alexandra knew what she wanted to do now that her father was gone.  Tenderly she crept into the bedroom, and gently climbed onto the bed.

Later, as Vaughn pulled into the driveway, he opened the garage door.  He hoped that the low rumble that it made would not wake Sydney, but would alert Alexandra to his presence.  As he opened the door, arms heavy with groceries, he expected to find Alexandra waiting for him at the door.   Finding no child blocking his entrance, Vaughn went straight to the kitchen and began to put the cold things away.  Then, quietly, he tiptoed into his bedroom.  As softly as he could, he cracked the door.  Peering in, he smiled at the sight before him.  Sydney was still sound asleep, and Alexandra had curled up next to her mother, and had fallen fast asleep.  Vaughn knew what he had to do. 

"Alexandra, honey, wake up."  Vaughn said, shaking his oldest daughter.  "Come on, time to eat dinner."

"What?"  She asked, not quite awake.

"I got a pizza while I was out.  Come on, you need to eat."

Alexandra was reluctant to leave the bed.  "What about Mommy?" She asked.

Vaughn contemplated waking Sydney up.  But upon a second thought, decided it was wise to just let her sleep.  "Let's let her rest.  She's been traveling a long time."

The next morning the alarm clock rang shrilly, and Vaughn bolted up to shut it off before it woke Sydney.  She was always more difficult to get up in the morning, but Sydney was probably getting close to fully rested.  She hadn't woken up since she fell asleep in Vaughn's arms the evening before.  The last thing that Vaughn wanted to do was wake such a beauty.  After a quick shower, he ran to wake someone who was just like Sydney.  Alexandra was just as difficult to get up in the morning, and just as beautiful.  While Alexandra was getting dressed, and getting her homework together, Vaughn ran to the kitchen to get breakfast going, and to make Alexandra her lunch.  Vaughn stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Sydney sitting at the table, sipping a cup of coffee. "How did you beat me here?"  Vaughn asked, pouring himself a hot mug of coffee. 

"I snuck out here while you were in the shower."  She admitted.  She took a sip of her coffee, and looked at Vaughn over the top of her mug.  She smiled at his crystal blue simple work shirt, and a pair of simple khakis. "You used to wear suits all the time."  She recalled.  "Not that I remember, but pictures.  The few you brought with you to Barcelona that you never showed me.  I borrowed them while you were asleep one night."

Vaughn smiled.  "Yeah.  They were kinda required of us at work.  But when I got fired, and started teaching, I was able to wear more casual stuff."

"I like casual you better."  Sydney assessed.  "You look more comfortable."

"It's better for work." Vaughn paused.  Something new was on his mind, something that hadn't struck him until now.  "You don't mind me going to work do you?  I've already taken up all my sick days, and I need to keep my two cache ones in case I actually do get sick."

"Oh no.  I don't mind." 

"You'll be here all alone."

"I don't mind at all.  I have a couple calls to make back home anyway."  Sydney said.  "If you don't mind me making several trans-Atlantic calls."

"No.  Go ahead.  Give Juliana my love when you call her."

"Will do."  

Vaughn put down the sandwich he was making, and looked at Sydney.  "Tell you what.  I am going to call Jack and have him come see you.  And then when Mia picks up Alexandra from school, I'll have her drop her off here right away."

"I don't know what to say."  Sydney admitted.  "I guess I'll start off with, who is Jack?"  

"Your father."

"And Mia is?"

"Will's wife.  She picks up Alexandra after school, and then takes Alexandra home with her.  Leigh and Ally have a blast playing with Alexandra." 

"Will is?"

"One of your best friends since college.   The other is Francie."

"And Leigh and Ally?"

"Will and Mia's twin daughters.  They're five.  They are easy to tell apart once you get to know them.  At first, it looks like you're seeing double. Leigh is actually her middle name.  She was named after you.  She's a little taller, with darker hair.  Ally has dimples, and takes after her mother's darker skin."

Sydney buried her head in her hands.  "I have so much to learn."  She whined.

Vaughn smiled, and walked over to put his arm around his wife.  "You'll learn it.  I'll also call Weiss and see if we can get you in for some therapy Saturday.  That way I can be there, and not have to miss work or anything." 

"Ok." Sydney agreed, reaching for her mug again.  Vaughn smiled, and knew that she would be ok.  Alexandra came running into the kitchen, and gave her mother a big hug, spreading morning greetings.  She took the glass of juice waiting for her, and sat down at the table waiting for her breakfast.  As the little girl ate her breakfast, Vaughn conned Sydney into finishing Alexandra's lunch, which Sydney gladly did.  Vaughn ran into the office to make a few calls. 

"Sydney, your father has got some meetings for a couple hours this morning.  He got back from Madagascar two nights ago.  He said he could stop by around ten or so.  Mia is going to drop Alexandra off here after school.  She promised not to tell Will that you're here, until you're ready for it." 

"Thanks."

"I'm coming home after school?  I don't have to go over to Uncle Will's house?"  Alexandra said.

"If you want to come home." Sydney offered.  She didn't want to push the girl over the edge with something out of the ordinary.  Not that Alexandra was teetering on the edge, or even close to the edge, but Sydney had watched Juliana try to strive for a little bit of normalcy in the week that Vaughn and Alexandra were there.

"Yeah!"

"Ok Angel.  We need to get going, or we will be late." Vaughn said, grabbing their bags, and standing by the door.

"Bye Mom.  I'll see you after school."  Alexandra said, giving Sydney a large hug before putting her backpack on.

"Bye Syd.  Make yourself at home." Vaughn offered.

"Bye guys.  I love you." Sydney called before they drove off.  Sydney meandered her way around the empty house.  Bits and pieces of it felt familiar, but she got no clear memories from looking around.  Sydney glanced at her watch and noticed the time.  It was still set for Barcelona time.    It was getting late.  If she was going to call Juliana that day, now was her opportune time.  Luis would still be getting ready for the night shift, so she wouldn't have to wake anyone to answer the phone.  Sydney didn't have to look for the phone.  She found it in the office, as if she knew that it would be in there all along.   She quickly dialed home.  

"Hola?"  A surprised and confused Luis answered.

"*Luis, this is Sydney.  Can you wake Juli for me?*" Although Luis said nothing, Sydney could picture him smiling, and running up the stairs to get her youngest daughter.  A few moments later, a quiet, small, groggy voice picked up.

"Mamma?"

"*Hey Baby.*"

"*Mamma!  Where are you?*"

"*I'm with Daddy and Alexandra.  They both say hi, and that they love you.*"

"*Why couldn't I come with you?*"

"*You still have school.*"

"*So?  You do too!*"

"*Honey, I quit my job.*"

"*Can I quit school?*"

"*No, if you quit school, how will you learn English?*"

"*You can teach me.*"  Juliana was getting close to tears.

"*Juli, you coming now is out of the question.*"

Juliana began to cry.  Her words became very incoherent.  "*You- you- you're going to leave me here aren't you!*" She screamed.

"*Oh Baby, no!  This is just a vacation for me.  I will be back soon.  I'm here to see what I can remember before we move.  And I'm also going to help Daddy get you're bedroom ready.  We're going to paint it, and get you a really great bed.  What color do you want your room to be?*"

"*Purple.*" Juliana said, her tears vanishing.  "*When are you coming home?*"

"*I don't know.  Daddy got me some therapy for my memory on Saturday, so depending on how well that goes.  But I promise, I'll be back before you even notice that I'm gone.*"

"*I notice that you're gone now!*"

Sydney sighed.  "*That's not what I meant Juli, and you know it.  I promise you I'll be home.  I will never leave you forever.  I love you too much.*"

"*I love you too Mommy.*"  

            Sydney smiled.  But it quickly faded into fear as she heard the doorbell ring. She wasn't expecting anyone for another couple of hours.   What if it was someone she used to know, but didn't remember anymore?  Sydney just hated that she couldn't even remember her best friends from high school and college.  "*Hold on a second Baby.  I have to answer the door.*"  

Slowly, she opened the door.  The man stood with his back turned to the door, watching the activity on the street before him.  When he heard the door open, he turned around.  Sydney stared at the balding older man for a minute.  His face looked familiar.  The way he looked and stared at Sydney scared her, as if she had been stared at before.  It was so cold that even hell could have frozen over.  But when he said her name, his face turned from stone to one of pure love.  "Sydney."  Was all he said.

"You're my dad."  She said, figuring it out.  

"Yeah.  I am."  Jack said, stepping inside the house.

"Could you excuse me for a second, I need to finish this phone call really quick."  She picked up the phone again, and put it to her ear.  Juliana was on the other end screaming "Mamma?"  As she impatiently waited for her mom to pick up again. 

"*Juli, what is it?*" Sydney asked.

"*I'm tired.*"

"*I understand.  I have to go ok?  I will be home really soon.  I promise.*"

"*Tomorrow.*"  

"*Juli, we've already had this conversation.  I can't come home tomorrow.  Soon though.*"

"*Ok.*"

"*Be good for Tía and Tío Luis.*"

"*I will Mamma.*"

"*I know.  I love you Baby.*"

"*I love you too Mamma.*"

"*I'll try to call you after school.  And you can call here.  Rosa has the number.*"

"*Yes Mamma.*"

"*Good girl.  Bye.*"

"*Bye.*" 

Sydney hung up the phone, and then turned her attention to her father who still stood in the doorway.  "Come on in."  Sydney said.  She wanted to tag a 'Dad' at the end, but wasn't sure she would feel comfortable with that, or if he would feel comfortable with that.

"It has been a long time Sydney, hasn't it?"  Jack said.

"I guess.  I don't really remember much.  And I'm afraid I don't really remember you at all."

"I can understand."  There was an uneasy pause. "If you don't mind me asking, who were you speaking to on the phone?"  Jack figured that it was the granddaughter that had been mentioned when he briefly spoke to his son-in-law on the phone. 

"That was Juliana."  Sydney said.  "Did Michael tell you who she was?"  

"Yeah actually he did. But he didn't tell me anything else, saying that you should be the one to tell me."  Through awkward conversation, Sydney and her father talked for hours.  She even braved the public and went to a nice lunch with him, as they talked about everything that had happened in the six years.  Sydney told him all about Juliana, and told him of their upcoming plans to move back to LA.

Sydney and Jack had moved to the couch by the time Alexandra came home.  The nine year old came running through the door, throwing her backpack onto the table.  "Mom!"  She called, running into the living room.  

Three other figures came into the house as well, although they came quieter.  Sydney went and greeted them.  "Hi, you probably don't remember me."  Mia said, holding her hand out for Sydney to shake.  "I'm Mia Tippen."

"I'm afraid not." Sydney admitted.  "I'm Sydney Vaughn."

"You're name is Sydney too?  My name is Sydney, but everyone calls me Leigh."  Leigh said, taking an instant liking to her namesake.

"Yup.  I like your name Sydney."  Sydney joked.  She then turned to Leigh's twin.  "And who are you?"

"Ally."  She shyly answered.  

"You have a really pretty name too."  Ally smiled.  "You won't tell your husband that I'm here will you?"  Sydney said, turning to Mia.   "I'm not sure if I can face friends that have known me since the dawn of time.  I'm afraid that they will keep trying to see me as how I used to be.  I want to sort things out before I meet with them again."

"I don't think it will be much of a problem with Will. I'll keep it a secret, and I'll make sure that these two will also keep their mouths closed."  Mia promised.

"Hey Mom!  Come look at what Grandpoppy brought me from Taipei and Madagascar!"  Alexandra called from the living room. 

            "I better get going.  Come on girls.  It was nice to see you again Sydney."

            "Nice to meet you Leigh.  You too Ally.  And it was nice to meet you again Mia."  Sydney said.

            Mia herded the twins to the waiting mini van, and Sydney returned to the living room.  Upon entering the room, Sydney was immediately blinded by brightly colored fabric.  She pulled the fabric away from her face and took a better look at it.  It was a doll dress, obviously a traditional dress from some exotic country, although Sydney couldn't tell you which.  "This is very beautiful."

            "That one is from Madagascar."  Alexandra placed another dress in Sydney's other hand.  "This one is from Taipei.  I like the one from Taipei better."

            "They are both gorgeous.  Do you have a doll these will fit?"  

            "Yep!  Grandpoppy brought it back from France for me when I was five.  And then every time he goes someplace, he brings me back a new dress for her.  I'll go get it!" Alexandra raced out of the room.

            "Those are really pretty dresses."

            "I'm going to grab Juliana one when I'm in France next week.  I can't spoil one granddaughter without spoiling the other."  Jack said with a large smile spread across his lips. 

"Oh, I'm sure Juli will love it."  Sydney paused.  "Are you ever in Barcelona?" 

"I'm sorry, but rarely.  Somehow Spain steers pretty clean of the whole intelligence business, so I don't get a chance to make it that direction often."

"Oh.  Right.  I was just wondering in case you ever wanted to stop by my apartment for a visit or something."

"I might be able to take some vacation time, and swing by Barcelona anyway."  Jack offered.

"I'd like that."  

Alexandra burst back into the living room, bearing a porcelain doll in her arms.  "Her name is Susanna."

Jack didn't leave before Vaughn got home.  In fact, he didn't leave until well after Alexandra had gone to bed.  Sydney had two more days to herself. Each afternoon her father would stop by and spend time with both Sydney and Alexandra.

Like Vaughn had promised, he did arrange for Sydney to meet with Barnett on Saturday morning.  Sydney didn't sleep much Friday night.  She was worried about what she would uncover.  There had to be a good reason why she forgot what she did.  Maybe her life before six years ago had been too horrible for her to remember. Perhaps that night six years ago, when whatever it was that happened, was just the final straw and she just compartmentalized everything she knew. Before they left for the CIA, Sydney and Vaughn dropped Alexandra off with the Tippen's.

Thecar ride to the Joint Task Force was silent.  Vaughn carefully parked the car in the familiar lot.  Hand in hand, Sydney and Vaughn walked through the front door.  The woman at the desk directed them to Weiss' office, where Eric had requested to see them before they headed to Barnett's office.   "The prodigal spies have returned!"  Eric greeted before they even knocked on the door.  "So how does it feel to be back here?"  Eric said, ushering them into his office.  He picked up a yo-yo and sat on the corner of his desk.

"I can't remember how it felt before, so I couldn't tell you."  Sydney admitted.

"Mike?  Come on, I know you're dying to get back into action."

Vaughn smiled a little.  "It is good to see the action going on.  But they wouldn't rehire me in a million years, and there is no way that Sydney would let me come back."

"I don't remember how dangerous it is right now.  So if you want to join up now, be my guest. But when I remember how bad this place is, you will be quitting."  Sydney ordered.

"See?"  Vaughn gestured towards his wife.

"That's great man.  See, when Stephanie does that, I know she's serious.  When you do it Syd, I can never tell."

"Stephanie would be…?"

"My fiancé."  Eric proudly boasted.

"That's great!  Congratulations."  Sydney said.  "When is the wedding?"

"November.  You will be here by then, right?  I'd hate for Mike to sit through another wedding, upset because the love of his life isn't there with him."

"Yeah.  Juliana and I should be moved in sometime in August."

"Don't worry about me anymore man.  Sydney and I are going to get married again."

"That's so great!"  Weiss took off his yo-yo, and placed it back on his desk.  "Ok, down to business.  The reason why you're seeing me first is because I am to explain what's going to happen."  He began to explain to Sydney the types of questions she would be asked, and the machines she would be hooked up to.  Then Vaughn escorted her to Barnett's office.  Along the way, people saw the Vaughn's and warmly greeted them.  Sydney smiled politely, not having a clue who anyone was.  Vaughn gave Sydney's hand one last squeeze before she entered Barnett's office to recover what was lost.

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Review?  Please?


	21. The Memories Flood

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*****Flashback*****

            Sydney and Larson strutted off the plane.  The wild costumes didn't even attempt to blend in with everyone else around them.  Sydney's hair was spiked blue and red; while Larson was lucky enough to have only one color, pink.  His hair matched his pink leather jacket, and black work suit.   Sydney wore a deep green miniskirt, and a plaid sweater vest over a white blouse. As they walked through the terminal, people gave them odd looks.  And who wouldn't? "How are we supposed to be acting like a normal couple when we look like this?"  Larson asked, as he readjusted his pink pleather pants.

            "I have never seen anyone else that looks remotely like we do, ever.  And I have been some pretty weird places."  Sydney answered, as they passed through a food court.  Looking at all the food around her, Sydney felt sick.  "I need to dash into the bathroom really quick."  Sydney took off to a short run to the bathroom.  She banged the stall door open, and immediately fell to her knees, loosing all of the food that was in her stomach.  Still a little shaken, Sydney returned to Larson.

            "Feeling better?"

            "I have been doing this for so long; you'd think I'd have an iron stomach for airline food."  Sydney replied.

            "I sometimes still get sick with it."  Larson admitted.  Larson looked at his partner, and saw how she still didn't look well, and put his arm around her, getting into character.  "Come on Honey.  Let's get our luggage, and head to the hotel so you can rest as much as possible before the party."  His thick, native, southern drawl shining clear.  Sydney held no objections to his suggestion, and followed Larson.  Upon entering the hotel room, Sydney went running to the bathroom again.

            "I thought that there was nothing left."  She complained, plopping onto the bed.

            "You did have those two Advil's, for the headache, in the taxi." Larson pointed out.  Sydney rolled over and reached for the phone.  "Who are you calling?"  

            "Vaughn.  Just to let him know that I landed safely."

            Sydney dialed the first 4 numbers before sprinting back to the bathroom.  "Are you sure that it was the plane food?" 

            Sydney didn't answer him.  Instead she just dialed home.  While Sydney was talking to her husband, Larson began setting up the op tech. 

"Hey Honey."

"Hey Syd.  How was the flight?"

Sydney bit her lip, and decided not to tell him about feeling sick.  "It was fine.  Long, but fine."

"I am glad to hear.  Oh listen, Will called today, and announced that Mia was pregnant."  Vaughn announced for their friends.

"Oh!  That is great, send them my congratulations if you see them before I get back."

"They are both ecstatic about it."

"Can't blame them.  Remember how happy we were about finding out about Alex?"

"Yeah."  Vaughn said dreamily.  There was a loud, barbaric cry from Vaughn's end, and a chuckle escaped both their lips.  "Oh how that all changed.  Can we bring her back?"

"Very cute Honey."

"I am going to go deal with Alexandra, and let you get ready.  When is the party?"

"Two hours."

"I love you Sydney."

"I love you too Michael."  Sydney ended before hanging up the phone.  She turned to Larson who was setting up some of Marshall's gadgets. "Do you need any help?"

            "You just rest.  We need you well for the party tonight.  I'll give you enough time to change into your dress and do your hair and make-up.  I promise."  Sydney gave a weak smile, and curled up to take a nap.  

            Larson gently prodded Sydney awake.  "Hey Syd.  We've got 45 minutes for you get beautiful."

            The two made a grand entrance in the ballroom.  After mingling a while, Larson grabbed Sydney's arm.  "There's Kristov.  I'll distract him.  Are you feeling well enough to go get the document?"

            "Get back to me in an hour."  Sydney admitted.

            "We don't have an hour."

            "Could we possibly reverse the roles?"  

            "Syd, I'm not nearly as a talented fighter as you.  If there are more than two guards, I'm done for."

            "Excuse me."  Sydney said, pushing her way through the crowd to run to the restroom to throw up.

            Sheepishly Sydney returned to Larson at the party.  "That's it.  You are not feeling well to go get the document.  You and I are switching roles.  I'll radio you for help if I need it.  And we get home, I am making sure that Mike takes you to the doctor."

            Sydney looked at Larson gratefully, and turned on her radio.  Larson nodded, and turned on his.  Sydney gave him a thankful smile, and went in search of Kristov.

            "You are too kind."  Sydney tempted as Kristov handed Sydney a glass of champagne.

            "And you are too beautiful."  Kristov took Sydney's hand, and kissed it gently. 

            "Get up here Syd!  I set off some kind of alarm or something!"  Larson frantically hissed.  

            "Excuse me, I must run to the restroom."  Sydney said.

            "I shall be waiting for you here." Kristov promised.  Sydney smiled, and gently pushing her way through the crowd, and then sprinted up to Kristov's office.  She heard a commotion coming from inside. When she ran in, Larson was tied to a chair; blood was flowing rapidly out of a wound in his stomach.  There was a small red hole in his right chest, and Sydney knew that she was too late.  Two guards came charging at her, knives in hand.  Sydney began fighting them off, throwing punches and kicks at them.  One knife came up and cut her leg open.  The pain was too much, and Sydney collapsed to the ground, and closed her eyes wishing that the pain would go away.  When she opened them, Kristov was standing over her.

            "Tsk.  Tsk. Tsk.  And such a beautiful woman you are."  An electric shocker came down, and Sydney's world went black.

*****End Flashback*****

            Sydney was breathing heavily as she remembered her last mission.  "Sydney, are you alright?"  Barnett asked, after 'waking' Sydney.

            "Yeah."

            "What do you remember?"  She asked.

            "The mission.  Oh God.  Larson."  Sydney began to cry as she remembered her fallen friend.

            "Was the last thing you remember was Kristov?"  

            "Well, I woke in a dumpster.  They must have taken me for dead.  And then the rest is all stuff I have memories of already."  Sydney said, calming down a little.

            "I think that is enough for today."  Barnett said.

            "No please.  I mean, if you're not busy or anything, I'd like to keep going."  Sydney begged.  "I have waited a long time to remember anything before the dumpster.   And I don't want to stop now."

            Barnett sighed, and looked at the clock.  "Fine. I'm going to count back from three. When I get to one, I want you to tell me where you are. 3... 2... 1."

*****Flashback*****

            Sydney raced her way to the warehouse.  She had her opportunity to finally take down SD-6.  Vaughn hadn't shown up yet, much to her disappointment.  She liked him to be first.  She wouldn't have to wait to see him that way.  Sydney could hear his car pulling up and she got very nervous.  She felt this way every time she saw Vaughn.  But this time, the mere thought of seeing Vaughn wasn't all that was making her nervous.  She rehearsed what she was going to say over and over in her head.  She couldn't look too eager.  Vaughn was a good 20 feet away from Sydney when she went rushing over.  "Everything we need to take down the Alliance is on Server 47."  She rushed.  Vaughn looked at her surprised and confused.  "That's not what I meant to say."  Sydney looked down, ashamed that her well-rehearsed line didn't come out as she had planned.

            Vaughn laughed.   "What do you mean?"

            "I had this whole thing well planned in my head, and it just came out different than I had planned."

            "Well, you got your point across."  Vaughn said, flashing one of his trademark smiles.  Sydney felt herself go weak in the knees.  Sydney didn't listen to Vaughn as he told her what he was telling her he was going to do.  Instead, she pictured what she was going to do after the Alliance was destroyed.

            Sydney looked around the debriefing room.  She knew what they were going to be briefed on.  And it was quite literally a dream come true.  She listened, as every dream became a mission plan for the next night.  She would occasionally smile over at Vaughn, who sat opposite of her.  The second she was out of the debriefing room, sprits higher with the next day's plans, Sydney went in search of one of her best friends.

            "Will!"  Sydney called from across the room.  Will stopped mid stride.

            "What's up Sydney?"

            "Do you still have that connection?"  She asked, keeping her voice low.  The office had ears, and everyone was listening.

            "Which one?"

            "You said that one of the guys at your AA meeting could score cheep tickets for just about anything."

            "Yeah.  Adam.  Why?  What tickets do you want?"

            Sydney nervously looked around.  "I need two Kings tickets for next week sometime."

            "They don't play next week Sydney.  They play Saturday."

            "What's today?"

            "Tuesday."

            Sydney did some quick calculations in her head.  "That will work.  Can you get them for me?"

            "Why?"  Will tormented.

            "I promised Vaughn I'd take him to a Kings game after the takedown."  Sydney smiled brightly at the thought.

            Will smiled, and nodded.  "I'll see what I can muster."

            "Thanks Will."

            Sydney could barely control herself the next day as she sat, trying to follow the plan.  Will's connection came through, and two Kings tickets were waiting for her and Vaughn.  She sat at her desk at SD-6.  Counting down the seconds before the CIA team came.  2173, 2172…  The clock never seemed to tick fast enough.  She pretended to be busying herself.  But she just kept counting down.  2167.  2166.  2165.  Sydney smiled as she passed Dixon, and then glanced up at the clock.  Inwardly, she cheered.  2156 seconds left!  She took a quick glance over at Sloane, who was talking on the phone still.  As long as he was still in his office at the time of the take down, everything would be all right.  She had to keep Sloane in his office.  But she couldn't go into his office herself. If she were in there at the start of the takedown, her life would be stolen from her.  

She rehearsed what she was going to say to Vaughn again.  Last time she tried to talk to him, what she had planned to say came out differently.  I have some great tickets to the Kings game on Saturday; do you want to come with me?  Sydney felt pretty confident about that.  It sounded like it was a date, but it didn't make her sound desperate.  I have some great tickets to the Kings game on Saturday; do you want to come with me? She repeated to herself.  Sydney glanced up at the clock again. 2098. 2097. 2096.  She double-checked the time with her watch.  2094.  She sighed and turned back to her computer, hoping that she could check her email before the CIA team came.  She knew that there was no point in finishing the report that Sloane told her to do.  Best-case scenario, the next day, she would be free.  SD-6 and the alliance would be gone forever.  Worst-case scenario, she'd be dead.  Either way, there was no way that the report would be due the next day.  2078.  

Sydney's cell phone rang.  Thankful for a distraction of any sort, Sydney leaned over and answered the phone.  "Hello?"  Sydney asked, not recognizing the caller ID.

 "Syd!  Hey!  Listen, we're going to have to meet at the club 30 minutes before scheduled ok? I've got a  party to go to afterwards.  Some boring work thing."  Vaughn said.  Sydney smiled, 270 seconds and counting.  "Sydney, is that cool?"

 "Yeah.  Perfect.  Works better for me anyway.  I'll see you then."  

 "Yeah, we'll see you then."  Sydney heaved a sigh of relief, and hung up her phone.  265.  264.  263.  Sydney opened her mailbox.  Empty.  No new e-mail to read, no old e-mails to read. Sydney clenched her teeth.  257.  She then went about her business, and read her spam.  She never read spam while at SD-6.  She only checked her spam at her home account, because sometimes she'd get encrypted messages from the CIA through spam.  But they were smart enough not to send it to SD-6. 

"I understand."  Dixon said, sitting down in his chair.

"Understand what?"  Sydney asked, whipping around.

"The feeling that you don't want to do the report so badly that you read your spam."

Sydney chucked.  _Right.__  That's it __Dixon__.  She thought.  "I just don't have the patience to sit down and type today."_

"Know that feeling too."  Dixon held up his report.  

Sydney rubbed her temples.  "Jealous."  She simply stated.  She heard commotion coming from the security room.  Panic shouts echoed through the room.   Glancing down at her watched, Sydney was shocked.  15.  14.  13.  12.  11.  She had been talking to Dixon so long that the last 4 minutes just flew by.  Sydney's heart fluttered.  3.  2.  1.  Eight men in black masks came barging in, firing shots.  Sydney did as Kendall had told her the day before.  She made her way to the back of the pack, and took a spare gun from the guy in back.    Rounds were fired, and the office was soon a mess of flying paper, and gun smoke as both CIA and SD-6 attempted to gain control of the facilities.  

Sydney and Jack stormed towards Sloane's office, where he sat too stunned for words in his chair.  The door was locked, and the windows were bullet proof, causing little problem for the two experienced agents.  Jack ran to the server room, and began to override the security codes.  He shouted at Sydney to try the door again, but it was still locked tight.  Sydney quickly grabbed Marshall from the huddle on the floor, and dragged him to the server room.

"Open Sloane's office door."  Sydney said.  "Please Marshall."

"It's not possible.  It will only lock from the inside.  I designed it that way. Mr. Sloane wanted…"

"We need to open the door Marshall."  Jack warned, a gun thrust in Marshall's back.

            "I'll see what I can do."  Marshall said, before he began to type madly.  Sydney dashed back to Sloane's door.  Jack called again, and this time Sydney was able to open the door.  Jack quickly joined her.

They said nothing as they cuffed Sloane, and lead him outside.  Victoriously, the CIA agents cheered, causing Sydney to smile as bright as the sun.  Jack shoved Sloane into the wagon, and ushered for Sydney to get in.  "Actually, I'm going to check on things inside.  I'll meet you at headquarters."  Sydney said, returning back inside the messy office.  Paper was scattered everywhere, as people threw their desks over for a little bit of protection from the flying bullets.  The ground beneath Sydney crunched as she walked over broken glass.  She paused momentarily at where her desk sat.  Like most of the other desks in the room, it had been overturned, and holes pierced it. She picked up her abandoned phone.  

"What's the meaning of this Sydney?"  Dixon begged as he was escorted out of the room in cuffs.  Sydney looked apologetically at her friend, but had no words for him.  Sydney looked at all of her coworkers as they were escorted out of the building; confusion; anger; hatred; sadness were all burning in their eyes.  Sydney couldn't stop the few tears from trickling down her cheeks as they glared at her.

From across the room, Vaughn looked over at Sydney.  His black mask still hid his face.  He saw the pain she felt.  "Hey, I'll be right back."  Vaughn told Weiss who was working next to him.  Vaughn walked over to Sydney.

         Sydney's back was turned to Vaughn.  She spun around when she heard her name being called out through the chaos.  The only problem was that there were three other masked men, with the same build as Vaughn, walking towards her.  Sydney looked confused.  Vaughn ripped off his mask, and picked up his pace towards Sydney.  Sydney met him halfway.  No words were exchanged as their lips met for the first time.  The world ceased to exist, as only they spun in the universe.   

         "Tickets.  Game.  Saturday."  Sydney said, as they broke apart for air.

         "Ditto."  Vaughn said, reaching for Sydney again.

         "I guess.  We. Think. Alike."

         "Yeah."

         "Alright!  Who called between 5 and 10 minutes?"  Weiss called out.  "Hooked up in 8 minutes, come on people, who called it.  The $350 is yours!"

         Sydney froze.  "They were betting on us."

         "And I had that time slot."  Vaughn smiled.  "And you and I are going to celebrate by going out to dinner tonight."

         "Sounds great."

         "Come on, let's go get my winnings."       

         "I had that slot."  Vaughn informed Weiss, leading Sydney by the hand.

         "How did you know about our little pool?  And that is no fair that you got to pick your slot.  You could have made it for as long as you wanted to get the money."

         "No.  I couldn't have waited much longer."  Vaughn admitted, smiling brightly at Sydney.  "Come on, where's the money, I need to take Sydney out to a nice restaurant to celebrate."

         "Fine.  It's in the truck.  But how did you get into the pool?"

         "Agent Keelan, he came up to me…"

         "That rookie!  I knew that I shouldn't have involved him."  Weiss complained. 

         "I don't think he knew who I was because he said, 'What time slot do you have for the Agent Vaughn and Bristow kiss?'  He handed me the printout of the list, and I put my $20 down for the 5-10 minute slot."

         Weiss pulled out a list from his pocket.  "Curses upon you."

         "You're the one that didn't check the list to see if Vaughn was on there." Sydney reminded him.

"Hey, at least I get a third of the first pool."  Weiss said.

"There is more than one!"  Sydney said shocked.

"Oh yeah.  I was part of the much smaller, but higher stakes saying that it would happen today, in under an hour."

"Dear lord, our lives have become a gamble."  Sydney said, burying her head into Vaughn's shoulder.

"Better for us, than against us."  Vaughn said, his lips meeting Sydney's again.

*****End Flashback*****

            Barnett had problems getting Sydney out of her trance the second time around.  Sydney emerged with a small smile spread across her lips.  "Mrs. Vaughn?"

            "Yeah."

            "I think we've had enough for today."

            "Please.  Just one more?"  Sydney begged.   Memories were nicotine.

            "Let's just see what this session will uncover this week."

            "Please."

            "Mrs. Vaughn, I'm afraid of what anymore could do to your psyche.  I don't think that you are aware that as a CIA agent, you compartmentalized far too much.  I cannot tell you what could happen if we uncovered something that you compartmentalized."

            "I'll compartmentalize it again.  Please.  I need more about my past.  Have you ever not known who you are?"

            "No, but-"

            "My daughter used to beg me to tell her about her Daddy, and I couldn't say anything, because the first thing I remember about anything was waking up in a dumpster already pregnant.  For all I knew, I could have been raped.  I don't think that you know what that is like either."

            "You're right, but I don't think you know the risks."

            Sydney quickly cut in.  "I knew the risks of joining the CIA, and remaining in the CIA.  It was obviously my choice.  Please, if you have the time."

            "I don't think that you-"

            "Listen, give me a straight answer.  Are you going to do this one more time, or are you going to make me wait a week for me to figure out who I am?"

            Barnett sighed.  "You may not be able to compartmentalize again."

            "I'll sign a waiver or something saying I won't sue for whatever we uncover."

            Barnett gave a small chuckle.  "That won't be necessary."

            "I will just be doing this again in a week anyway.   What is seven little days?"

            "You will be getting memories on your own now.  This therapy we're doing will target specific memories.  It will jog the rest of your memory."

            "What if we focused on something aside from the CIA?"

            "I'm afraid I don't follow you."

            "Could we maybe try to recover a memory involving Alexandra?  Maybe I could go home tonight, and tell her that I remember singing lullabies to her when she cried, or I remember her first steps, or her first words.  I'm her mother, and I can't tell her these things."  Sydney was pleading so hard that she was close to tears.  "Please.  One more.  That's all I ask."

            Barnett took a deep breath.  "Fine.  I am going to countdown backwards from 10…9…8…7…"

*****Flashback*****

            A very pregnant Sydney sat on the couch, her feet propped up on the end of the couch.  A book was open, but she wasn't really reading it.   Vaughn was supposed to be home any second, and she had arranged a romantic dinner for them, and he didn't know about it.  One eye was glued to the door, watching carefully for any sort of movement. She and Vaughn had been married almost six years, and there wasn't a day that went by that Sydney didn't believe it was a dream.  

            Vaughn's old dog's ears perked up.   The dog's movement did not slide past Sydney.  The dog, Donovan, got up from his spot on the rug, made his way to the door, and lay next to the coat rack, as he had done everyday for years.  Sydney closed her book with a smile.  He was finally home. Sydney struggled to get up.  Failing three times before she was finally able to get off the couch.  She greeted Vaughn by the door.         

"Welcome home Honey."  She said pulling Vaughn into a kiss before he had even stepped over the threshold.

            "Hello dear.  What's this all about?"  He asked, pointing to the romantic table.

            "Ever since I left on my maternity leave, I have had way too much time on my hands, so I thought that this would be a nice surprise.  Do you like it?"

            "I love it."

            "Good, come on.  Let's eat."  

            Vaughn smiled, and sat at the table, as Sydney brought out the food.  "Mmm… Mashed potatoes and roast beef."  Vaughn's mouth began to water.

            "That's not all."  Sydney retreated back to the kitchen and pulled out two more dishes.  "Three bean casserole, and home-made from scratch biscuits."  

            "Wow, Syd.  This smells so good."

            "And a cake for dessert."

            "You were busy today."

            "And bored.  Why couldn't you guys let me leave for my leave after this baby is born?"

            "Because it's company policy."

            "I am bored."

            "Sydney."  Vaughn tried again.  Sydney just kept plowing through her rant.  Vaughn knew that she wouldn't stop until she was done.  She had been that way her entire pregnancy.  She had to finish what she had started.  Vaughn knew that he had to be patient with her, and keep trying to reach her until she was done.

            "It doesn't help that your little hockey player has decided to be a week late."

            "Sydney."

            "I almost went shopping for some more stuff today, but then I remembered that we had everything we need, and there isn't any more room for any more stuff in the nursery."

            "Sydney."

            "And then I was going to do the laundry, but realized that I did it all yesterday.  So I washed all of the stuff we wore yesterday, but I was done by 9:00."

            "Sydney."

            "I cleaned the house.  And our bedroom is organized."

            "I thought you did that yesterday."

            "I did do that.  But I redid it."

            "Do you realize how hard it was for me to get dressed this morning while you were still sleeping?"  Vaughn groaned.  His toes still throbbed when he put too much pressure on them after stubbing them on a dresser that had moved three feet from where it used to be to make room for the hamper, which was moved to make room for the bed.  This was all to allow a faster exit when the baby began to cry in the room next to them.  But Vaughn was having problems getting used to the new layout.

            "There were some problems.  I heard you stub your toe this morning."

            "Sydney."         

            "And then I watched a movie, and I am so bored Michael!  Maybe they will let me be a desk jockey until the baby is born."           

            "Are you ever going to let me talk?  Or are you just going to sit there and ramble?"

            "I'm sorry."

            "Listen, this is the same way my sister got when she had to leave work too.  But as soon as she is born, I don't think that you're going to have that problem."

            "You think it's going to be a girl?"  Sydney said.  She held in her arms the three bean casserole, and was scooping it onto her plate.  But she was too distracted by the conversation to realize that her plate was so full of the casserole that there wasn't room for anything else.  Vaughn smiled and took the bowl away from his wife.  Sydney looked down at her plate, realizing what she had done.

            "Yes, I think it's going to be a girl."  Vaughn picked up a fork-full of potatoes, and held it out for Sydney to take a bite, which she graciously accepted.  "And we both agree that Bridget Kathryn is the best name for her."

            "Yeah.  Your mother would really like that."  Sydney reached over, and served Vaughn some of the three-bean casserole that she had piled onto her plate.

            "I know."

            "Too bad it's a boy."  Sydney teased.

            "You think it's a boy?"

            "We've gone over this 100 times!  Yes."

            "I know.  It's my favorite topic."  Vaughn shyly admitted.  If Weiss ever found out that talking about whether the baby was a boy or girl was his favorite topic, Vaughn would never live it down.

            Sydney gave a small smile.  "I know, mine too."

            "I thought of a middle name today."  The boy's middle name was up in the air.  Neither could choose, even though the first name was so obvious, the middle name was hard.

            "You did?"

            "Yes.  We both like William, after my dad, and Will.  For the first name."

            "Yes.  Still love it."

            "Well, you just change your mind so much.  And Eric was in my office."

            "Oh, please say it isn't so.  He didn't convince you of Eric did you?" 

            "Well,"

            "Vaughn!"  Sydney said, in mock anger.

            "Think of it this way.  We can tell everyone that the middle name is after your grandfather, which is true, but we can let Eric believe that it's after him.  That's what we were thinking about doing with William."

            "Only Will would know that it was after your father."

            "Sydney, say it.  It sounds good."

            "William Eric Vaughn."  Sydney thought on it for a moment.  "That does sound nice."  Sydney admitted.  "Dad would like that we named him after his father."

            "That's what I thought."

            "And it would get Eric off our back about naming any of our kids after him."

            "That too."

            They spent the rest of dinner talking about every mundane thing known to man.  Sydney lay awake for several hours, just staring at the ceiling.  Rest.  That's all she had been told to do for months.  The only thing that rest had gotten her was sleepless nights.  Sydney's face suddenly froze to one of horror.

            "Vaughn."  Sydney said, shaking her sleeping husband awake.  

            "Whaisit?" He slurred.

            "My water broke."  She told him.

            "I'll get you a new glass."  Vaughn said.  "But in the morning.  I'm sleeping Sydney."

            "No, Honey.  It's time."

            "For what?"  Vaughn asked, turning over and looking at Sydney.  His eyes suddenly lit up with realization.  "Oh my goodness!  It's time!"  He jumped out of bed and threw on a pair of pants, and ran over to help Sydney up.

            Vaughn drove to the hospital, breaking several traffic laws along the way.  "Don't get in an accident!"  Sydney yelled at him.

            "Are you ok Sydney?"  Came his only reply.

            "I'll be fine, unless you get us killed by driving like that."

            "Are you ok Sydney?"

            Sydney sighed, and knew that there was no more arguing with him.  "Yeah."  She said, as she double-checked her seat belt.

            Vaughn ran into the hospital, leaving Sydney alone in the car while he ran to get a wheelchair, despite her heavy protests.  But Sydney didn't feel like waiting.  So instead she got out of the car and met him halfway.  Vaughn gave her a stern, concerned look, but Sydney shot back a threatening look.  A nurse led them to Sydney's room.  "I am going to go call my mom, and your dad, and then everyone else.  Ok?"

            "Hurry back."  Sydney begged.

            An expectant crowd waited outside the delivery room five hours later.  A tired Vaughn came out, with a dreamy smile on his face.  "Girl."  He told the small crowd, and then walked back in the room to be with his wife and new daughter.  The nurses had just handed Sydney a little pink bundle, and she was just staring at the girl with tears in her eyes.

            "Hi there.  I'm your Mommy."  Sydney said, taking the miniature hand.

            "I'm your Daddy."  Vaughn said, kissing both Sydney and the baby.

            "1…2…3…4…5…" 

            "What are you doing Honey?"

            "Counting her fingers."

            "They're all there.  I assure you."

            "Do we have a name yet?"  The nurse asked.

            Sydney looked down at her new daughter.  "No."

            This statement, floored Vaughn.  "What happened to Bridget Kathryn?  I thought we agreed on that."

            "Look at her Honey, she's not a Bridget."

            "What if we flipped it?  Kathryn Bridget?"

            "No.  She's not a Kathryn either."

            "Sydney, do you realize how long it took us to reach Bridget Kathryn?  Or William Eric?  That was decided tonight."

            "She's not any of those.  And as soon as I hear it, I'll know."

            "Alight."  Vaughn said, kissing her forehead.

            "Honey, you know all that stuff about me hating you, how you should die a slow and painful death, and how we're never going to have sex again?"

            Vaughn chuckled.  "Yeah."

            "I didn't mean any of it."  She said, her eyes fixated on the beauty before her. 

            "I know."

            "How's your hand?"  Sydney asked.

            "It's going to be bruised for a while."

            "I am so sorry Hun."  Sydney leaned over and kissed Vaughn.

            "It's ok."

            Their friends and parents surrounded the proud parents as they stood outside the nursery window, watching their little girl.  "Is that her?"  Will asked

            "Yep.  That's baby girl Vaughn."  Sydney answered.

            "You better not name her after me!" Bridget Vaughn exclaimed.

            "Why not Maman?"

            "She isn't a Bridget."

            "That's what Sydney said."

            "She's a good mother already then.  You don't name a baby something that they're not.  Bridget isn't even her middle name.  You understand son?"

            "Yes Maman."

            "So what were your back up names?"  Mia asked.

            "Kathryn was our only other name.  And we were going to use as a middle name."

            "She's not a Kathryn either."  Bridget answered.

            "She's an angel."  Sydney breathed.

            "Angel Vaughn."  Francie said.  "Sydney, as much as she is an angel, I don't think you should go and naming her Angel."

            "I didn't either.  I'm just saying that she's an angel."

            "Our angel."  Vaughn repeated putting his arm around Sydney.  

            "Do you guys want me to run that name through the web?  See what names angel means?"  Will suggested.

            "We've got the baby names book with us.  I'm sure we'll find something."  Sydney insisted. 

            It was just the three of them sitting in the hospital room a little while later.  Vaughn was sitting in a chair next to Sydney's bed, holding his daughter in his arms.  "Angelica?"  Sydney suggested. 

            "No.  I don't like it."

            "Neither do I, but it means angelic."

            "Skip the meanings Sydney.  I don't think we're going to find a name that way."   It was then that Vaughn's cell phone began to ring.  He passed the pink bundle off to her mother, and ran outside to answer it.  

            Outside in the hall, a father tugged at his young son's shirt.  "Come back here Alex!  We have to meet your new brother now.  We can get candy later."  But Alex's only reply came as a loud scream.  Sydney laughed, and looked down at her daughter.  She didn't take her eyes off of the babe until Vaughn came back.

            "That was Eric.  Sends his congratulations from Langley.  Also suggests that Erica is a great name."

            "No.  She's an Alex."  Sydney answered.

            "Excuse me?"  Vaughn said, taking her from his wife.  "I don't exactly like the idea of naming my first born child after a boy's name."

            "She's an Alex.  Look at her.  Officially it would be Alexandra, or Alexis or something.  But she is an Alex."

            "She's an Alexandra."  Vaughn said, compromising.  "She's an Alexandra Kathryn Vaughn."

            "Welcome to the world Alexandra Michele Vaughn."  Sydney said, taking Alexandra from her husband and holding her up.

*****End Flashback*****

            "Mrs. Vaughn.  It's time to wake up now."  Barnett said.  "How are you feeling?"

            "Good.  Thanks for letting me do that third time."

            "But no more."

            "I told you I wouldn't ask for any more."

            "I understand."

            Barnett reached over and handed a journal to Sydney.  "I want you to write down any memories, dreams, or thoughts about what you remembered in this journal.  You don't have to show me next week, but a summary would be nice."

            "Alright."

            "Good.  I'll see you back next week Mrs. Vaughn."

            "Thanks so much Dr. Barnett."

            "You're welcome."  Sydney stood up to leave.  "Oh, and Sydney?  Welcome back."  Sydney smiled and left. Vaughn was waiting on the other side of the door.

            "How'd it go Sydney?"  She didn't say anything as she just ran to his waiting arms.  She smiled, as he rubbed her back comfortingly.  "Syd?  How'd it go?"

            Sydney smiled, and said two words she had been waiting forever to say.  "I remember."

*          *          *          *          *


	22. Disturbing Dreams

I meant to post this chapter yesterday, when it was the one year anniversary of this story.  Wow, a whole year.  God. Thanks for being such a great group of readers, even when I suck at posting on time!  I'm looking at two more chapters for this fic.  So make those reviews good!

*          *          *          *          *

            Vaughn led a blindfolded Sydney to the drafty building.  "Where are you taking me Michael?"  Sydney laughed.

            "You'll see."

            "We don't have time for this, we have to pick up Alex."

            "Don't worry about it.  Your father knows that he has got Alex until tomorrow afternoon."

            Sydney got a mischievous smile on her face.  "We have all night?"

            "All night."

            "Good. Now, where are you taking me?"

            "Can't you wait?"

            "Not much longer."

            "Good because we're here."  Vaughn gingerly untied the blindfold, letting Sydney take in their surroundings.  "Do you know where we are?"  He asked, hoping for some sort of connection.

            Sydney looked around.  It took her a minute, before a smile spread across her lips. "This is our warehouse."

            "Yep."  Vaughn proudly answered.

            "You proposed to me over there."  Sydney said, pointing to the corner where they used to always meet.

            "Yeah."

            "Why did you take me here?"

            "Dinner."  Vaughn cleared his throat and the sound echoed through the practically empty warehouse.  From a door Sydney had rarely noticed in all of her warehouse trips, came two teens, carrying a table, all set.  A third had two lit candles in his hands.  Silently they set the table down, and the two candles were placed on the table, then they promptly left.  Sydney just stared in awe at what was done before her.  Vaughn only looked at her, a huge grin spread across his face.  The two that carried the table in, returned carrying two chairs, and then left.

            "What is this Michael?" Sydney asked, thoroughly amused.

            "Dinner."

            "This is so amazing."

            "I just paid Dixon's kids to do this for me. And one of their friends."

            "You did all this for me?"

            "All this, and I dropped Alexandra off at your dad's." Vaughn said, one upping himself.  Sydney laughed.  "Have a seat mi lady."

            "Thank you."

            "And on tonight's menu we have a lovely champagne."

            "Mmmm…"

            "Followed by a nice Chicken Caesar salad."

            "My favorite."

            "And then followed by…"

            "There's more?!"

            "Just a triple chocolate fudge cake."

            "Are you kidding me?"

            "Nope."

            "Good, because that all sounds so heavenly."  Vaughn beamed with pride.  Sydney paused for a minute, deep in thought.  "You did something similar to this when you proposed, right?"  Sydney said, hoping for a glimmer of a memory.

            "Actually no.  First date yes, but not when I proposed."

            "No?"

            "No.  I proposed in the warehouse.  But we didn't stay for any reason because,"

            "I had to leave for a mission in thirty minutes."  Sydney finished. "You drove me to the airport, and tried to use your CIA badge to escort me all the way to the gate.  But they wouldn't let you past security."

            "Yeah."

            "But somehow you got past security and met me at the gate when I returned."

            "I never told you this, but I had to buy a ticket to do that for you."

            Sydney laughed.  "Really?"

            "Yeah.  I would still buy a world for you."

            Sydney blushed and leaned in to kiss her husband.  "I know.  You can see it in your eyes.  You can hear it in your voice.  You can feel it in your touch.  I don't know if I have ever made my self as clear as you do.  I would buy a world for you too."  Sydney softly whispered before letting her lips tenderly kiss Vaughn's.

            Vaughn gently woke Sydney the next morning.  "Syd, we need to get up now."

            "What time is it?"  She groggily asked.

            "Almost twelve."

            "Seriously?"

            "Yeah.  Come on.  I promised your dad that we would pick Alexandra up before one."

            "I want her to tell her about everything I remember."  Sydney said.  "I can't wait to tell her about how I remember the day she was born, like I sometimes tell Juliana."

            "Tell me about it."

            "What?"

            "I wasn't there when my youngest daughter was born, and I want to know what it was like.  And since I wasn't there, you are going to tell me."

            "Ok."  Sydney said, kissing Vaughn.  "Juli was born on March 6.  I had been in and out of hospitals since I lost my memory, so I still didn't have a job.  But when I wasn't in a hospital, I was staying with Rosa.  And I was at a hospital when I went into labor with Juliana.  Rosa came rushing over from work.  Luis was actually my doctor.  That was how they met.  I was in labor for like nine hours.  And when Juli finally came out, and I looked into her little eyes, and she held my finger in her little hand, I knew that she was my key to my past.  I thought about naming her Alexis."

            "That would have been so bad when I found you.  Having too daughters named Alex!"  Vaughn joked.  Sydney laughed along with him.  

            "Good thing that Rosa couldn't say Alexis too well."

            "No kidding."

            "But until I decided on Juliana Kathryn, I just called her My Key.  Sometimes I still do."

            "Nice to see that some names just don't die when it doesn't fit our first born."

            "The heart never forgets."

            "So you say."

            "The heart loves forever."                           

            "Good.  Then I love you forever."  Vaughn said, getting close to Sydney.

            "Now that I've found my way back to your heart again, I love you for all eternity."  Sydney whispered.

            "Always glad to hear that.  Come on, we have to go get our darling daughter, from her grandfather." Vaughn said, pulling Sydney to an upright position.  

            "We should go out to lunch.  My dad too."

            "I'll call Francie's restaurant and tell her we're coming."

            "Francie?"

            "Too soon?"

            "What?"

            "Francie has been your best friend since high school.  Do you remember?"

            "I remember you mentioning her.  I don't remember Francie."

            "I'm sorry."

            "I'm getting used to the idea.  I guess.  I just- you know what?  Never mind the whole going out to eat thing.  Let's just invite my dad over instead.  You go pick Alex up, and I'll cook a good old fashioned brunch for us."

            "Alright."

            Nearly an hour later, Vaughn pulled into the driveway, and Alexandra came bursting out of the car door, and into the house.  "Mommy!"  She called out, immediately seeking out her mother in the kitchen.

            "Did you have fun Alex?"

            "Yup!"

            "Hey."  Vaughn greeted.

            "Is Dad here?"

            "No.  He declined my offer."

            "Well, I made more than enough food."

            "What's lunch?"  Alexandra inquired peering into the oven.

            "Breakfast."

            "You mean like pancakes and stuff!?!"

            "Yes.  Exactly like pancakes and stuff."

            "I love pancakes."

            "Me too."  Sydney put out the plate of pancakes on the table, and everyone hungrily dug in.  As Sydney looked around at her happy family, sitting around eating pancakes for breakfast, something within her stirred.  This was what family was about.  Eating around a table, chatting about everything that means nothing or everything that means everything, displayed a level of love that could never be measured.  Sydney beamed down at her oldest daughter.  But Sydney stared at the fourth side of the table.  Someone was missing.  Juliana was missing.  Sydney knew that her family would never be complete, until she and Juliana had moved.

            The rest of the afternoon, and into the evening, Sydney felt at peace.  They called Juliana, and she was more than thrilled to hear everyone talk to her.  She spoke a couple things in English to show her father how she was working on her English before they moved.  Sydney who was on the phone in another room, couldn't have been prouder of her little girl.

            After dropping Alexandra off at school, Sydney returned back to the house, feeling at loss for words. She had one job to do.  To begin work on Juliana's new bedroom. Sydney looked into the playroom, where Alexandra's toys were still scattered all over the floor, despite both Sydney's and Vaughn's insists that she clean it up last night.  The office, which was also in need of moving, was just as bad, and Vaughn profusely apoligised about not cleaning it, before he kissed Sydney and left for work.  Sydney bent down and began to throw Juliana's toys into boxes.  The silence disturbed her, and she quickly found herself  picking up the phone.

            Mia arrived after dropping her girls off at Kindergarten.  All decked out in a pair of overalls, and her hair up, she was ready to work.  "You ready to change the room with me?"  Sydney asked, holding two of Alexandra's dolls in her hands.

            Mia smiled.  "Oh yeah."  Sydney escorted Mia down the hall to where the two rooms were already half packed.  "How did those two get so much stuff?"  

            Sydney laughed.  "I have no idea.  I had Alex go through her stuff, and she put most of the stuff into three boxes, stuff she wants to keep, stuff she wants to give to Juli, and then sell or trash stuff on Friday night.  But then she decided to play with her stuff last night, and well, didn't pick up again."

            "How much stuff did she chose to throw away?"

            "A puzzle with missing pieces, and a broken toy phone."

            Mia chuckled.  "What is she giving to Juliana?"

            "More than I thought she would, but Michael made her put some stuff into the box that she's out grown."

            "So what's the plan?"  Mia asked, picking up one of Alexandra's boxes, and following Sydney.

            "We're getting rid of the playroom, and moving the office into the old playroom, then painting the office, and transform it into Alexandra's bedroom, so that we can turn Alexandra's old bedroom into Juliana's new room."  Sydney laughed.  "And there is probably an easier way to do all of that, but this is the way everything works out so that, it just works out.  Thanks so much for helping me out with this."

            "No problem."

            "And thanks for not telling Will anything yet, either."

            "I understand.  There are some things that my husband shouldn't know.  It's the reporter in him.  How did the regression therapy go?"

            "Well.  I'm hoping that my sessions will give me a little push towards the right direction, and let my own mind fill in the blanks."  Sydney paused.  "Were we close before I disappeared?"

            Mia drew in a deep breath.  "No, not really.  We were friends, but I had only known you for a year, and everyone we were surrounded by knew you longer.  Will has known you since you were in college, Francie, god, I don't know how far back you two go, and there was your husband, and then his friend Eric.  They had known you for years, sort of making a rift between the two of us.  I had always wanted to get to know you better."

            That night, Sydney bolted up in a cold sweat.  The moonlight shone brightly through the curtains, illuminating the chair beside the closet.  Sydney's heavy breathing didn't seem to disturb anything but the silence.  Everything felt so real.  Sydney threw back her covers, and put her feet down on the cold floor.  She looked over at Vaughn, who still slept soundly beside her.  Grabbing her bathrobe on the way out, Sydney found herself creeping towards Alexandra's room.  Hoping that the creaky door wouldn't wake her, Sydney pushed the door open.  She smiled at the sight of her eldest daughter sleeping safely and soundly.  Sydney stepped over Alexandra's boxes, and sat down in the rocking chair at the foot of the child's bed.  She looked at her daughter again, and found herself doing something she never imagined herself doing.  Sydney felt the stingy burn of tears flowing down her cheeks.

            "Hey."  Vaughn whispered, entering Alexandra's room.  He looked over at his sobbing wife, and went over and wrapped his arms around her.  "You ok?"

            "It was so vivid."  She confessed, burying her face in his arms.

            "Come on, let's talk about this somewhere else so we don't wake Alexandra."  Sydney let Vaughn help her up, and lead her to the living room.  He left her sitting on the couch while he went and got Sydney a bowl of coffee ice cream, and a bowl of chocolate mint for himself.  "Did you have a dream, Syd?"

            "Yeah.  I felt like I was there.  I could smell everything, I could feel the pain."

            "Dr. Barnett said that some memories come through to you in vivid dreams."

            "It was just so…"  Sydney's voice trailed off, as she just stared at her bowl of ice cream, spinning the frozen food around in circles, slowly melting it.

            Vaughn inched closer to her, and put a supportive arm around her.  "Tell me about it Syd."

*****Flashback*****

            "There you go, all clean Angel."  Sydney said, drying the infant Alexandra off.  The infant smiled at her mother, and warmed Sydney's heart.  "Daddy's coming home tomorrow.  And we're going to tell him to be a desk jockey.  No more dangerous missions for him, huh Angel?"  Sydney smiled at her little girl, and put a diaper on, followed by a pink dress.  Alexandra reached up for her mother's finger, and Sydney was all to happy to give her index finger to the child.  From behind her, Sydney heard the sound of a shutting door.  She spun around, holding Alexandra close to her.

            "Who's there?"  She demanded.  Silence came her reply.  "Hello?"  She clutched the infant even closer.  She let her spy instincts take over, and Sydney held Alexandra close, and went to investigate the noise.

            She found a man dressed solely in black, and a black ski mask standing in the front foyer.  "Give the baby to me."  He ordered, a voice box distorting his voice.

            "No." Sydney refused.  She ran into the nursery and set Alexandra in her crib.  "Stay quiet Angel."  She whispered before shutting the nursery door to face the kidnapper.  

            "Why do you want her?"  Sydney demanded, her fists up, ready to fight to the death for Alexandra.

            "She is the prophecy."

            "NO!"  Sydney made her first lunge at the stranger.  She quickly threw him to the ground.  "You will never get my daughter."  She said, throwing her hands around his neck.  He began to cough and kick with the lack of oxygen.  After a struggle, he was able to get Sydney to back off, and the fight moved to the kitchen.

            "For someone that just had a baby, you fight well."  He taunted.

            "Shut the hell up."  Sydney said, before kicking him in the head.  He stumbled backwards, giving Sydney enough time to grab a knife from the counter.  She began waving it at him.  "Who are you working for?" She demanded, stepping closer to the man.  He took two steps backwards, backing into a corner.  "You have no escape now, who do you work for?"

            "I do not work for anyone."  

            Even through a voice box, Sydney could tell that he was lying.  "Liar."  She hissed.  Sydney took the knife and held it to his throat.  "Who do you work for?  And what do you want with my baby?"

            The man only stood silent.  He gagged a little as Sydney pressed harder.  Sydney took the knife and stabbed him in the belly, not mortally wounded, but he still doubled over in pain.  Sydney grabbed the ski mask, and threw it off, finding the face of Sark staring back at her.  "You bastard."  She said.

            "I'm working alone. This I promise you."

            "Why do you want Alexandra?"  Sydney begged, holding the knife to his stomach again.

            "I believe that it isn't you or your mother that is Rembaldi's prophecy.  I believe it is your daughter."  Sydney drew in a deep breath.  She had had enough of Rembaldi and all of his prophecy talk when she was with the CIA.  But she was done with that life, and she couldn't escape it.

            "No, she's not." Sydney said, taking the knife again, this time stabbing in the heart.  Sark looked at Sydney with a sad eye, before they rolled back into his head.  Sydney quickly jumped up to the sink, and washed the blood off her hands.  She went back to the nursery, where Alexandra was wailing for her mother's touch.  Sydney scooped up the child. 

            "This will be our little secret.  Ok Angel?"

            Sydney threw a bloody Sark into the trunk of her car, keeping a layer of trash bags to protect the fabric from the blood.  Lovingly, she put Alexandra into her car seat, and she drove to the Joint Task Force.  Baby in hand, Sydney marched into Director Weiss' office.

            "Hey Syd.  We weren't expecting to ever see you here again."  Weiss said, greeting Sydney.  "And hello to little Miss Alexandra."

            "I need your help with something Eric, and I need you to keep your mouth quiet about it too." Sydney led him to her car, where she showed him Sark.

            "Holy shit Syd!  What the hell is a bloody Sark doing in your car?"

            "He tried to kidnap Alex.   And when I started to fight him.  He tried to kill me.  I had to do something to protect my daughter."

            "Sydney."

            "Weiss, you're the director now, can you do something about this, and keep it under wraps."     

            Eric looked at his friend to see if there was something, anything, that would change her mind about the whole situation, and found none.  "I'll see what I can do."

            By the time Vaughn had gotten home the next night, Sydney was able to get the blood out of the kitchen, and Sark disposed of.  "I missed you."  He said, kissing his wife, and taking Alexandra from her arms.  "And I missed you too little Angel."

            "I missed you too." 

            "What did you need to talk to me about?"

            "Huh?"

            "Yesterday morning, when I called, you said that you had something you needed to talk to me about?"

            Sydney remembered that he was talking about how she wanted to discuss with him the possibility of being a desk jockey.  She smiled.  "Never mind about that." She assured him.  "It was nothing."

            "Ok."

*****End Flashback*****

            Vaughn sat there in shock at the dream Sydney had just told him.  "Do you think it's a memory?"  He asked, holding the sobbing Sydney.

            "God, I hope not."

            "It would be alright if it was you know. I would have done the exact same thing if it was me."

            "No, it's not alright Michael.  I killed a man if it's true."

            "Sydney, I don't know if this is what you want to hear.  But in our line of work, we had to kill a lot of people.  But they were all trying to kill us.  Sark was trying to take Alexandra, and he was trying to kill you.  It was either kill or be killed."  Sydney took little comfort in his words.  "We'll call Weiss.  He will know if your dream was a memory or not."

            "Good idea."

            Vaughn picked up the phone, and dialed his best friend's house, waking him.  Sydney listened carefully to Vaughn's end.  He hung up the phone, and turned to Sydney.  "I'm sorry Dear."

            Sydney found her solace in Vaughn's chest.  Feeling his heart beat, and his chest go up and down, Sydney just let the tears flow.  "I killed a man." She just whispered over and over.  Vaughn just rocked her.

            Saturday couldn't have come any slower for Sydney.  They quickly dropped Alexandra off at her grandfather's again, and drove to the joint task force.  She smiled at familiar faces, and with a bounce in her step, Sydney waltzed into Barnett's office.

            "Let's get started, shall we?" Sydney begged.

            Barnett looked at the eager woman in front of her.  "Did you remember much on you own?"

            "A little bit."  Sydney admitted.  "But it was more of the little things, like Vaughn took me to the warehouse, and I remembered that he proposed to me there."

            "That is an excellent start. Any dreams that could be considered a memory?"

            "Can we just start the regression therapy?"

            "We can as soon as you answer these questions.  Did you have any particularly vivid dreams this week?"

            Sydney smiled.  "Not that I can remember."

*          *          *          *          *


	23. Returning Home

*          *          *          *          *

            Sydney attempted to sneak into the apartment undetected, but Rosa and Luis were still up, watching the nightly news.

            "*Sydney!*" Rosa rushed to greet her friend.

            "*Rosa, how are you?*"

            "*Juli will be happy to see you.*"

            "*Is she asleep?*"

            "*Yeah.  She's been begging for you since the day you left.*"

            "*I missed her so much.  I'm going to drop my bag off in my room, stop by to see Juliana, and then I'll be back.*"

            "*Ok.*" Sydney quietly tip-toed up the stairs.  She dropped off the suitcase that Vaughn had given her, and went down the hall to the girls' room. Sydney slowly opened the door, as to not disturb either girl.  She glanced briefly over at Raquel, who slept quietly.  Sydney stepped over the toys, and scattered clothing, to get to her daughter's bedside.  She pushed the hairs away from Juliana's face, quietly whispering her name.  "Juliana."  Juliana stirred, but didn't wake.  "Juliana." Sydney tried again.  Juliana gave a small smile, and then rolled over. Sydney realized that Juliana was far too asleep to wake up just yet.  Sydney just sat by Juliana's bedside, just watching her sleep.

***Flashback***

            "When are the people getting here?"  Vaughn shouted as he put away the vacuum cleaner.

            "Don't yell. I just got Alex down for her nap."  Sydney scolded.  "Not for another three hours."

            "I got the vacuuming done on the first floor."

            "Could you pick these things up for me?"  Sydney asked, handing Vaughn a short grocery list.  "I need the sour cream for the dip."

            "Honestly Sydney, do you think Alexandra will know what's going on?"

            "I know she won't.  But she'll love the new stuff we got her, and what everyone else is getting her.  And it gives us an excuse to throw a party.  I haven't seen Will and Mia in months.  Between them moving an hour from here, and work and stuff, we just haven't seen them.  They're coming down."

            "You know we can throw a party anytime we want.  We're adults now."  Vaughn dangerously mocked his wife.

            "Go!" Sydney ordered.  "I can still kick your ass."

            "I know.   I'll see you in a few.  I love you."

            "Love you too."

            Sydney continued the clean up process.  She turned on the radio, and picked up the broom.  Vaughn hadn't returned yet, when over the radio, Sydney heard the faint cry of her daughter.  She quickly turned off the radio, and sprinted up the stairs to tend to Alexandra. The cry was faint, and Alexandra was kicking in her sleep, having an obvious nightmare.  Sydney picked up her little angel, and rocked her until the crying stopped.  Through the whole thing, Alexandra stayed sleeping.  Sydney put her back into the crib, and sat down in the rocking chair, waiting to see if the crying would pick up again.

            Vaughn put the groceries on the counter, and went to find his wife.  The broom was laying haphazardly on the floor.  Its handle pointing towards the stairs.  Vaughn quickly climbed them, and found Sydney sitting in the rocking chair.

            "Hey."  He greeting, coming up and putting his arm around Sydney.

            "Hi."

            "How long have you been up here?"

            "I dunno. Probably twenty minutes."  Sydney admitted.

            "What are you doing?"

            "She's two."

            "Yep.  Two today."

            "You'd think that after two years, I would get tired of just watching her sleep."

            "You would think that."

            "But I never have."

            "I haven't either."  They watched Alexandra's chest go up and down, as she peacefully slept in the dark nursery.  

            "We should have another one."

            "Another what?"

            "Kid.  I don't want Alex to grow up as an only child."

            "I hope the next one looks just like you."

            "Alex already looks like me.  It's your turn to have a kid look after you."

            "Maybe in a couple years."

            "No. Now.  Let's have another kid now."

            "It takes nine months."  Vaughn joked.

            "Ha, ha, ha.  I just want Alexandra to have a sibling close in age to her."

            "I think it's a perfect idea." Vaughn agreed.  "We should go try now."  He tempted.

            Sydney looked lovingly up at her husband.  "Maybe tonight.  I just want to watch Alex sleep for a little longer.  Besides, we still have to clean the rest of the house."

            "Fine.  We'll worry about all that later."  Sydney took Vaughn's hand and held it in her own.

            "She's two.  I can't believe it."

            "Grows up so fast."

            "We'll be saying that in 10 years too."

            "We'll be saying that every year."

            "Shhh… lets watch her sleep while it's still not creepy."

            "After two years, you'd think that we'd be tired of it."

            "You would think that."

***End Flashback***

            Quietly Sydney stood up, and navigated her way out of the children's bedroom.  She went downstairs, where Rosa already had a bowl of coffee ice cream waiting for her.  "*Watching Juliana sleep again?*"

            "*Yeah.*"

            "*You would think that after six years, you would be tired of that.*"

            "*You would think.*"

            "*You have to tell us all about your trip!*" Rosa said, ready to pry. 

            Luis agreed.  "*I'm as curious as she is.*"

            Sydney smiled, and began to tell of her trip over several bowls of ice cream.  Rosa smiled at her friend as she talked about her family.

            "*They sound wonderful.  I can't wait to meet them.*" Rosa stated.

            Sydney suddenly got very shy, and blushed.  "*I failed to mention that Michael and I are going to remarry.  It's probably going to be something small, but you guys should fly out for the wedding.*"

            "*That's great!*" Rosa said, embracing her friend in a tight hug.

            "*Really great.*" Luis agreed, also hugging Sydney.

            "*But it means we're going to have to move a lot sooner than expected.  Michael and I briefly talked about the wedding before I left. We mostly agreed we wanted it a good month before the girls started school, so it would be late July, and we agreed that it was going to be really small, and really casual.  And my therapist doesn't want me gone for too long.  I have more therapy to undergo.  And she said that I should be here for at most a month.*"

            "*That means you have to leave like right away.*" Luis concluded.

            "*I know.*"

            "*Sydney, let me tell you the truth.  I love you.  I loved you when you were Jessica English; I love you now as Sydney Vaughn.  And I love having you here with us.  Your friendship, and everything you have given me, us, has been truly a great gift.  But honestly, I had hoped that this wasn't a permanent situation.  I wanted more than anything for you to find out who you really belong to.  Michael Vaughn and Alexandra are where you and Juliana belong.  Of course I wish they lived in Spain, but you're going to be with your family again, and that to me is all that matters.*"

            At this point, Sydney had begun to cry.  "*Thanks guys.  If you don't mind, I'm going to head to bed.  Jet lagged.  If you could pretend that I'm not here, for a little while longer.  I want to totally surprise Juli.*"

            "*Yeah, of course.*" Rosa promised.  Sydney hugged the two people that had been her family for the past six years before heading up to her bedroom.  She began unpacking her suitcase.  It was one of her pet peeves.  She first hung up all the clothing that she used to wear, and then tucked away at the bottom of the suitcase was a photo frame, and two notes.  Sydney instantly recognized the handwritings.  One was from Vaughn, and the other was from Alexandra.  But neither was addressed to her.  Both were for Juliana. Sydney picked up the silver photo frame, and looked carefully at it.  The frame itself seemed familiar, and then it hit her.  This was the frame that Vaughn had given to her for Christmas that first year they worked together.  Sydney smiled fondly of the memory.  He got in so much trouble for the frame, but neither one of them cared very much.  Sydney then carefully studied the photo that accompanied the frame.  They had taken the photo during Sydney's visit when they had a picnic on the beach.  Alexandra was sitting in her father's lap, and they both beamed brightly at the photographer, Sydney.  Carefully, Sydney set the photo on her nightstand, and climbed into her bed.  

            Sydney woke mid afternoon the next day.  She was all alone in the loft apartment.  After spending three weeks being the only one left in the house, Sydney was getting sick of spending her days alone.  She got dressed, and went downstairs.  Things looked as the always did.  Raquel's various stuffed animals lined the wall next to the door.  Juliana's finger paint artwork covered the fridge. The counter was sticky from an orange juice spill, that happened every morning.  Juliana's sweater was at the foot of the coat rack, and Raquel's boots were sticking out from under the couch.  Sydney knew that there was only one way she'd rather have it.  With Michael, and Alexandra.

            Sydney grabbed her house keys, and went down to the busy street below.  She walked two blocks to her favorite fruit stand.  "*Jessica, welcome back!  Rosa told me you had to take a vacation.*" The elderly woman that ran the stand greeted.

            "*Good afternoon Laura.   Could you give me two oranges, and some of these.*"

            "*Gladly.  But you have to promise to cook something wonderful with these.*"

            "*I promise.*" Sydney paid for the fruit, and went over two stands in the open air market to the bakers' stand.  Sydney bought her bread, and made her way back to the apartment. The afternoon sun shone through the curtains.  Glancing briefly down at her watch, Sydney figured that Vaughn and Alexandra would just be waking up. She quickly picked up the phone and dialed.

            It rang three times before Vaughn answered.  "Hello?"  He sounded half asleep.

            "Did I wake you?  I thought you'd be up by now."

            "Sydney!  Hi!  Yeah, you woke me, but I don't mind."

            "I thought that you would be up by 7:30."

            "Its seven thirty!?!?!?"  Vaughn said, panicking.

            "Yeah."

            "Oh no!" Vaughn said.  Sydney could hear the rustle of sheets, as Vaughn struggled to get ready.  "Syd, Honey, if I had been up, and Alexandra was up, I'd have time to talk to you."

            "I understand."

            "I'll call you and Juliana tonight."

            "Ok."

            "I love you."

            "I love you too.  Tell Alex that I love her."

            "Will do."

            "Now go before you're late."

            "Bye."

            "Bye."

            Sydney began gathering packing materials for the rest of the afternoon.  She hid the collapsed boxes in her bedroom, until she had time to tell Juliana about their move.  Sydney had the macaroni and cheese all set out on the table by the time Luis returned with Raquel and Juliana.  The second Juliana saw her mother, she ran into Sydney's arms.  "MAMA!" She shouted, giving the largest hug Sydney had felt in a long time.

            "*I missed you.*" Sydney said.

            "*Me too!  I'm so glad you're home!  Is Daddy or Alexandra with you?*"

            "*Nope.  They had to stay there.*"

            "*Ok. I'm just glad that you're home!  You're never going to leave me, are you?*"

            Sydney smiled, and held her daughter close.  "*Never like that.  I promise you, I will never leave you like that again.*"

            "*Good.*"

            "*Tía Jessica!*" Raquel squealed, running over and hugging Sydney's leg. "*I missed you too.*"

            "*I sure hope so.  Come on, I want you two to tell me everything I missed while we eat.*"

            "*What is for dinner?*"  

            "*Macaroni and cheese.*"

            "*Your macaroni?  Because Tía doesn't make it right.*"

            Sydney laughed.   "*Yes mine.*"

            Sydney saw how happy her daughter was over dinner, that she didn't have the heart to tell Juliana about the move.  Sydney told Juliana after she picked her up from school the next day.  Juliana reacted better than Sydney ever expected her too.  She actually went home, and grabbed a box from Sydney's closet, and began to throw her toys into it.  "*Juli, you're excited for the move, aren't you.*"

            "*I don't care where we live.  I just miss Daddy, and I don't like you leaving me.*"

            "*You heard what I said, about never leaving you without telling you first, right?*"

            "*Yeah, but you'll go see Daddy again, without me, and I'll miss you again.  So I want to go, and live with Daddy.*"

            Sydney wanted to cry at her youngest daughter's strength.  "*Alright.  I love you.*"  

            As if she didn't quite understand where that came from, Juliana looked at her mother, and in clean and clear English, she simply replied, "I love you."

            Sydney simply beamed at her daughter.  "*You might not want to pack some of these just yet.  You won't be able to play with them until we move.  And Juliana, you need to understand something.*"

            "*What?*"

            "*We're going to have to leave a lot of stuff behind.*" 

            "*My toys?*"

            "*Only pack the ones you still play with.  There are a lot of toys that Alex has out grown already waiting for you in your new room.*"

            "*Really?*"

            "*Yeah.*"

            "*Alright.  Mommy, can Eva come over tomorrow?*"

            "*Yeah. Sure.*"

            "*Good, because she's going to her grandmothers for the whole summer.  I'm going to miss her.  And since school is over in four days, I'm not going to see a lot of her.*"

            "*Are you excited for the end of school?*"

            "*Yep.  I'm going to miss school. I am even going to miss my teacher.*"

            "*There are a lot of people I'm going to miss.  Like Rosa, Luis and Raquel, but I would miss Daddy and Alexandra more.*"

            "*Me too.*

            "*Get your clothing down to my bedroom, I'm going to do laundry.  Grab Raquel's too.  And I want every piece of clothing of yours either put away, or in my bedroom, but I want to see no clothing on the floor.  Got it?*"

            "*Yes Mama.*"

            With only a handful of days left until the big move, Sydney and Juliana began to rush all over Barcelona to say goodbye to friends.  Often they would leave a house with a tearful goodbye, and a promise to stay in touch.  But Sydney knew that it would be impossible to keep tabs on all of her and Juliana's friends from the far side of the Atlantic.

            "*Juli, get the door.*" Sydney instructed her youngest daughter.  In each hand she held some of her and Juliana's small music collection, ready for the open box in front of her.

            "*Raquel beat me to it.*" Juliana reported, quickly following Raquel.  "*Mama, it's for you.*"  

            Sighing, Sydney threw the remaining CDs into the box and stood up to answer the door.  "Dad!"  Sydney exclaimed, giving him a large hug.

            "Hello Sydney."            

            "Dad, this is Juliana. *Juli, this is your Grandfather.*"

            Jack squatted down and got eye to eye with his youngest granddaughter, who he was meeting for the first time.  "Hi there, Juliana.  Your mother has told me so many wonderful things about you."  Juliana just looked at him with a quizzical look.

            "Spanish Dad."  Sydney kindly reminded him.  Jack looked at both girls apologetically.

            "*Sorry Juli.*"  Jack repeated what he had just said, and in return Juliana gave him a large toothy grin.

            "*Mama said that you wouldn't be able to come visit me until after we moved.*"

            "*Raquel, could you go help your Mommy out? She's cooking some cake.*" Raquel smiled brightly and ran off to the kitchen, eager to help. "Why don't we go upstairs?" Sydney suggested.

            Sydney allowed her father to sit in the coveted arm chair in the corner of the room, while she sat on the wooden desk chair.  Jack patted his knee, motioning for Julian to come sit on, and she obediently obeyed with a smile.  "*I was in France yesterday, and I knew I had to get you this.*" He reached into the back and pulled out a doll, much like the one Alexandra had.

            "*Wow.*" Juliana marveled.  She took the box from her grandfather and looked at the doll wide eyed.

            "*Your sister has one much like it.*"

            "*She's so pretty.*"

            "*I also got you these.*" Jack reached back into the bag and pulled out two dresses, one from France the other from Spain.  "*It's for a collection.  This dress is from France, and this one I bought right here in Barcelona.*"

            "Thank you Abuello."  Juliana threw her arms around her grandfather's neck.  Jack was startled briefly, but then smiled and put his arms around the young girl.

            "*You are most welcome.*"

            "*Can I go play with this Mama?*"

            "*Juli, this doll isn't for playing with.  She's to look at.*" Jack informed her. 

            Juliana looked disappointed.  "*Oh.*"

            "*In fact, I'm going to keep her with me until you get your new room.*"

            "Ok."

            "Sydney, do you mind if I take both Juliana and Raquel to the zoo?  I'd love to spend some time with Juliana, and it looks as though you and Rosa wouldn't mind getting both girls out of your hair for some time."

            "I'd love that.  I can go ask Rosa."

            "*What about me and Raquel?*"

            "*It's a surprise.*"

            Sydney went to the bottom of the stairs and called Rosa over.  Rosa readily agreed to letting Raquel go, claiming that Raquel was far too much of a distraction in the kitchen.

            When Jacked informed both girls about the trip, both jumped for joy.  "*But what will Mama and Tía Jessica do?*" Raquel asked.

            "*I've still got much to pack, and a lot more stuff to do after that.  You guys have fun.*"

            "*And I've got a cake to bake.*"

            They left, and Rosa turned to Sydney.  "*Your dad seemed nice.*"

            "*He is.  Apparently most of my life he's been distant, but since Alexandra was born, he's been in my life more. Or so Michael says.*"

            "*Well he was nice enough to take the girls out. I really need to make this cake for work, as well as dinner before Luis gets home.*"

            "*I have really got to finish packing.  I have got to get these mailed tomorrow, before the post office closes.*"

            "*You know if you forget something, I'll be happy to mail it to you.*"

            "*I know.*"

            When Sydney and Juliana left for the airport three days later, Sydney felt as if she had left a sister.  Rosa had taken care of her, ever since she could honestly remember. She allowed Sydney and Juliana to live rent-free in their large apartment.  Rosa had always been her safety net.  She could always turn to Rosa if she had any problems, of any sort. Suddenly that net no longer lived down the hall.  Sydney had a problem smiling as she got on the airplane. She knew where she was going, who was waiting for her, and she had no regrets.  But there was so much she was leaving behind.

            Vaughn and Alexandra waited impatiently by the baggage claim for the plane to land. "Do you think she'll like the room?"

            "What do you think?"

            "Yeah."

            "You just answered your own question."

            "I hope she'll like the house."

            A man approached the father and daughter.  "Michael?  Michael Vaughn?"

            Vaughn looked at the man.  "Yes?"

            "It's me.  Seth Marks."

            Vaughn studied Seth carefully.  He was definitely familiar looking, but something about the greeting threw him off.  Then it hit him like a sack of flour.  This was SETH, the annoying professor that would never give up on Sydney.  "Seth, yes, hi, how are you?"

            "Can't complain. How about yourself?"

            "Really well actually."

            "Bless my word, is this Alexandra?" Shyly Alexandra nodded.  "You look just like your mother."

            "What brings you to the airport?"  Vaughn quickly interjected before Seth could go any farther in the conversation.  The last thing Vaughn wanted Seth to be talking about was Sydney.

            "My mother did one of those tours for seniors.  I'm picking her up."

            "Where'd she go?"

            A small crowd of people began to trickle into the baggage claim area.  Vaughn repositioned himself so he could easily watch the stream of people coming towards them.  Seth looked rather bored, as if he didn't really want to pick his mother up, and didn't seem to care if she ever appeared in the crowd of people.  But both of the Vaughns were more than happy to look for the other half of their family.  Alexandra watched all the people file by with anticipation. Person after person came through, and Sydney and Juliana weren't among the crowd.  Vaughn was beginning to worry, but he couldn't let it show.  Alexandra tugged on her father's sleeve. Vaughn was more than happy to turn his attention away from the slime ball that liked his wife more than he should, and look at his darling daughter. "Daddy, can I go look for them around the corner?"  

            "Sure thing Angel." Alexandra smiled, and ran off to look for them around the corner.  Vaughn watched her run until she was out of sight.  He then, only to be polite, turned back to the ever-loathed Seth.

            "Spain." Seth answered.  "What about you?  What brings you to the airport?"

            Vaughn didn't know how to answer.  The last thing he wanted was Seth to figure out was that Sydney was alive again.  It would mean that he would randomly stop by, claiming he had a question about one thing or another, like he did 6 years ago.  That was one of the things Vaughn didn't miss about Sydney's disappearance.  It was the only thing.  He opened his mouth, fully prepared with a lie, but Alexandra came and tackled him.  "Daddy!  Mommy and Juliana are getting off the plane right now!  I saw them!"  She exclaimed, dragging him towards the planes. Vaughn willingly followed

            Seth stood there, stunned for several minutes, before he slowly followed Vaughn and Alexandra.  What he saw unfold in front of him was Sydney.  Actually, Vaughn and Juliana and Sydney and Alexandra were all reuniting themselves.  But all Seth saw was Sydney.  It was as if someone had taken a picture of that moment, and blurred everything but her. He stood there stunned for a moment.  He thought she was dead.  Everyone thought she was dead.  But there was no mistaking her grace.  Seth tried to say something, multiple times.  But he still stood there in shock.  The family didn't seem to faze him.  It never had before.  "Hi Sydney."  Seth finally was able to crack.  

            Sydney paused momentarily from hugging Alexandra to talk to the stranger.  She looked at him, puzzled beyond words at who he might me.  "Uh, hello?"

            "You don't remember me, do you?"

            Sydney gave an apologetic smile.  "I'm afraid there is a lot of people and things I don't remember."  Vaughn leaned over, deciding to clue Sydney in on who she was dealing with.  Sydney gave a small chuckle. Both girls didn't know what was going on, and instead just watched the whole situation.  Juliana looked happy to be reunited with her father and sister, but she was bored.  At least Alexandra understood the words coming out of their mouths.  Juliana just stood there, hoping someone would clue her in.

            "Seth Marks.  We used to work together."

            Sydney faked both a familiarity, and any resemblance to caring.  "Oh yeah.  How are you?"

            "Seth, there you are!"  An elderly woman, with her silver wiry hair, and half moon spectacles came over, tugging on Seth's arm.  "I have been waiting with my bag for thirty minutes, and you're over here chatting with your friends.  Come on boy, Wheel of Fortune starts soon."

            Seth turned bright red like an embarrassed teenager.  "Mom, I'm busy right now."

            "I'm your mother damn it!  I went through 10 hours of painful labor, and this is the thanks I get?"

            Seth looked like he was ready to explode.  But instead he gave a calm answer to Sydney and Vaughn.  "It was good to see you again Sydney… really, really great.  You too Michael."  Seth's mother had already started to walk away.  She was grumbling and pushing people out of the way.  "Mother!  Don't knock him over!" He called after her, running to catch up.

            "What was that all about?" Alexandra asked. Vaughn and Sydney only looked at each other and smiled.

*          *          *          *          *


	24. Home

It's been a good run everyone.  I have invested more than a year of my life into this fic, and let me tell you. The feedback I've gotten from all of my wondrous readers has made everyday worth it.

I want to thank my betas.  In this past year, I've had several beta changes, so I'm not going to list all of my great betas.  They had the patience to read through these chapters when they were still rough.  They smoothed it out, and really made this fic what it is.  My betas would help me when the writers block stonewalled me.   And thanks to my muse. She helped too.

You should see me.  I'm crying!  I don't cry easily.  Longest fic I have ever completed.  And it's my most popular fic too!  

If you enjoyed this fic, Colly E. will be writing a sequel.  She hasn't told me what it is going to be called, or what it's going to be about yet, but I can guarantee that it will be just as amazing as this one.  Check it out when she starts posting.

So.

I'm posting today.  Because I'm leaving for vacation, and wanted to post it sometime over the holidays.

Happy Holidays everyone.

  And please don't forget to review.  

*          *          *          *          *

            Alexandra took Juliana's hand, and both girls took off running into the house.  Sydney and Vaughn looked up at the house.  "You know, when we bought this house, you told me you could hear our future in the walls.  I was skeptical.  I mean, at that time it was just you and I.  I wasn't sure what we'd do with all that space." Vaughn said, turning towards Sydney.  "When we began painting the nursery, you turned and looked at me and said, 'I told you this house was perfect'. From that moment on, I never doubted you."

            "Really?"

            "Yeah."

            "Shh…"

            "What?"

            Sydney and Vaughn stood perfectly still on the front porch.  From their spot they could hear the happy squeals of Juliana discovering her new room, and Alexandra's laughing while playing.  The happy and proud parents smiled. "I can still hear our future in there."

            "Tonight, I was thinking of getting everyone together at Francie's restaurant."  Vaughn suggested.

            Sydney hesitated. "Yeah.  Sounds good."

            "You sure that it's not too fast?"

            "My memory is better.  Besides, I'll have you, the girls, and I already have acquainted myself with Mia and the twins.  So that leaves Will, Francie and her family, and your friend."

            "Eric."

            "Oh right, Eric."                                                       

            "You remember him?"

            "No.  I remember you talking about him."

            "So you want to go to dinner at Francie's?"

            "Yes."

            "Then I'll call everyone."

            "*Mama!  Come look!*" Juliana yelled from the end of the hallway.

            Sydney smiled, and went to follow her daughter.  "*You like your room?*"

            "*It's purple!*"

            "*Just like you asked.*"

            "*Thank you Mama.*"

            "*Thank your Dad too.*" Juliana ran off to find her father, leaving Sydney alone in the almost empty room with Alexandra.

            "I am so happy to be back. You know that right, Alex?"

            Alexandra replied only by hugging Sydney.  

            Sydney fiddled with the strap of her purse the entire way over to the restaurant.  She couldn't remember when she picked up that nervous habit, but even Vaughn commented on it.  "**Everything will be fine.  I promise.**" Vaughn assured, placing his hand over Sydney's to stop her fingers.  Sydney gave a weak smile, and looked out the window.

            The restaurant was a busy place.  Sydney saw a flash of a memory with her and Francie talking at the bar, and could tell that the place had grown considerably in size.  Everyone else was already there.  They were all talking happily about one thing or another.   The minute they spotted the Vaughn's walk through the door, they fell into silence.  "Hey guys!" Vaughn brightly greeted.

            "Syd?"  Francie weakly smiled.

            Sydney smiled and nodded, racing over to her long lost friend.  "Sorry I didn't call you last month."

            "Don't apologize.  Michael explained it all to us.  I understand."

            Will stood up from his seat and stared at Sydney.  "What? I don't get a hug either?"

            Sydney smiled, "Of course you do."

            "It's good to see you Sydney." 

            Juliana clung close to her father, as Alexandra took the open seat next to Ally and Leigh, leaving three seats.  Vaughn held out a seat for Sydney, next to Francie.  Juliana jumped at the opportunity to sit on the other side of her mother, leaving Vaughn for the final seat.  

            "Order what ever you want.  Dinner tonight is on me!"  Francie declared.

            "It's always on you."  Will joked.  "You own the place."

            Everyone laughed, except a very lost Juliana.  "Como?"

            Sydney smiled apologetically at Juliana.  The confused look on the little girl's face told all.  It was going to be a long upward battle until she would be able to comprehend everything.  She looked lost and scared.  Sydney knew that Juliana would be able to adjust, but everything Juliana knew was different.   She could only communicate with her parent's and grandfather.  She had yet to meet her grandmother.  Everyone else that surrounded her was leaving her out of the conversation, and Sydney could only do her best to translate for a little bit.  Juliana sat back in her chair, realizing the same exact thing.

            Sydney was the first one up the next morning.  Which seemed odd, because after a late night, and jet lag, she should have slept until noon.  Juliana fell asleep at the restaurant, and after peering into the bedroom, found her still sound asleep.  Alexandra's door was shut, a sign that she still slept.  Sydney started the coffee, and looked around the kitchen.  There was a low grumble. Sydney looked down at her stomach, which was clearly yelling to her, "Feed me!" She picked up the bag of bread off the top of the refrigerator, and pulled the toaster out from underneath the cabinets.  She put the bread in, and then left to quickly go to the bathroom.

            When she came back, the toast was on fire.  Reacting quickly, Sydney grabbed the fire extinguisher.  It didn't take long at all for the fire to be put out. Sydney looked around the kitchen, glad to see it still empty.  She didn't want to see anyone else wake up because of her little mistake.  The room still reeked of burnt toast.  But Sydney didn't have time to reflect on her save.  The second she thought about it, the smoke finally reached the smoke detector.  The high pitch scream began to sound, surely waking everyone.

The scream of the smoke alarm suddenly set off a flood of memories in Sydney's mind. 

*****Flashback*****

            Four-year-old Sydney covered her ears.   The noise was so annoying.  "Turn it off Daddy!"  She screamed through her tears.

            Jack and Laura were laughing so hard it was near impossible for Jack to turn off the smoke detector.  "I'm trying sweetheart, I really am."

            The smoke reached the young girl's lungs, and Sydney began to cough.  "Come on, let's get you some fresh air."  Laura took Sydney by the hand, and led her outside.  She held the scared little girl close until the coughing subsided.  She looked up at her mother for comfort.  "Daddy and I really burnt some toast, didn't we?"

            In the distance, a siren sounded.  The pitch rose as it got closer and closer to the house.  "Why are the firemen coming?  Is our house going to burn down?"  Sydney asked, on the brink of tears.

            "No, I thought that there was a little too much smoke.  Our house is not going to be burnt down."

            "Good."

            Jack quickly joined his wife and daughter on the front porch as the fire truck parked in front of the house.  The small family watched from the front lawn as the men made sure the house was safe.  A small crowd began to form around them, fascinated by the shiny red truck. After almost an hour, one fireman approached the huddled family.  "Sir, there was a lot of smoke damage.  We haven't finished our assessment yet, but we suggest that you find another place to stay until it can be cleaned up." 

            "How long will that be?"  Jack asked.

            "We'll tell you when we finish."

            "Can we get our stuff from our bedroom?"  Laura asked.

            "Certainly."

*****End flashback*****

*****Flashback*****

            Sydney sat on the train looking at her parents, sipping from a bottle of wine.  She smiled as the two of them smiled at each other.

"I know what you're thinking."  Jack said, passing the bottle of wine to Irina.  She took it and took a sip. 

Irina smiled.  "Do you?"

"The toaster."  Irina laughed at the memory.

"What are you guys talking about?"  Sydney asked.  This was a side of her father she can barely remember.

"Ah..." Her mother fondly sighed.  She took another drink, and then passed it to Jack with a smile.  He took it, and did something unexpected.  He gave a small smile.

"We used to have this toaster at home. It was broken and using it one night, I started a small fire."  Jack explained.

"We had something like this to drink and we both had a little too much."

"I forgot about the toast I was making."  He confessed.  Irina laughed.

"When was this?" Sydney begged.  It was a side of her parents she had never seen before. It was a side she liked.

"You were... four years old."  Irina recalled, and her father agreed. "There was so much smoke, we had to move out for a week. We stayed in that hotel."

"The Summit."  Jack whispered.

"The Summit."

"W-wait was that the hotel with the sundaes?"  Sydney smiled, for the first time in a long time; her parents were actually getting along.

"Mm-hmm."  Irina confirmed.

Jack was now smiling.  "Yeah.  I think you had one every night."  Irina gave a chuckle at the memory.  She looked into Jack's eyes.  They both blushed, but then looked away.  Jack's smile faded. "You should get some sleep."

*****End Flashback*****

*****Flashback*****

            Sydney woke up, disappointed not to find her new husband lying in their bed.  She smiled though, looking at the new wedding band around her finger.  She got up, and found Michael in the kitchen.  He spotted her, and immediately turned around.  "Go back to bed!" He ordered.

            "Why?" Sydney demanded, coming closer, and giving him a kiss.

            "I want to make you breakfast in bed, but I can't do that if you're not in bed."

            Sydney kissed him again, putting her arms around his waist. "Good morning Mr. Vaughn."  

            Vaughn felt his knees become weak, and his heartbeat quicken.  "Good morning to you too Mrs. Vaughn."

            "Oh, I like that sound."  She whispered, kissing her husband of 10 hours again.

            "Mrs. Vaughn."  Vaughn repeated it again, knowing he would get another kiss from his wife.

            Sydney smiled, and fulfilled his wish.  Vaughn went to whisper his wife's name again, but was interrupted by the smoke detector.   Both were pulled out of the moment by the smoke that had gone unnoticed by the newlyweds for some time.  

            Sydney put her hands on Vaughn's shoulders, and began to laugh.  Vaughn quickly joined in. She rushed to remove the burning toast, while Vaughn went to turn off the smoke detector.  Laughing, they both went to open some windows to allow the fresh air in.  Working their way back to each other, they met kissing.  "What a way to start our lives together."  Vaughn joked.

            "It can only get better.  And I'm sure it will."  Sydney assured.  "At least the smoke is clearing up."

            "Really?  I think it's getting stronger."

            Both sniffed the air, and sure enough, the smoke was getting thick again.  And the high-pitched alarm started to beep again.

            "What is it?  You're not making more toast, are you?"  Sydney asked, helping Vaughn to turn off the alarm.

            "No, not toast..."Vaughn paused, trying to remember what could be burning.  "Not the toast, I'm making pancakes.  I forgot about them!"

            Sydney quickly went and took the pancakes off the heat.  They met up in the living room again, this time laughing too hard to even kiss.

*****End Flashback*****

            "Sydney?" Vaughn said, shaking Sydney.  She was sitting on the couch in a half daze, just staring with a goofy grin.  

            "What's that noise?"  Alexandra complained holding her hands over her ears.

            ""*What's burning?*" Juliana asked, trying to cover both her ears and her nose. 

            Vaughn left Sydney, and got out the stepladder to deal with the alarm first.  He quickly instructed both girls to open the windows.  "Sydney you ok?"  Vaughn checked again.

            "I haven't smelt burnt toast in six years."

            "So?"

            "The doctors said that a smell could trigger my memory."

            "Burnt toast?"

            "My parents burnt toast when I was six.  It was so bad that we had to stay in a hotel for a couple nights.  I liked the sundaes.  They then told me about it when we were in the cargo car of the train when we were in India.  They were smiling, one of the few times I had seen my dad smile in years.  You burnt toast the morning after we got married.  You were trying to make me breakfast in bed, but I woke up before you had a chance.  When we got the toast mess cleaned up, we forgot about the pancakes, and they burned, causing the house to smoke up again."

            "Yeah."  Vaughn replied, surprised that she remembered all that.  "You remember that?"

            "I remember everything." Sydney lowered her voice.  "I remember all the missions, all the faces, all the alias', all the stupid costumes."  She then raised her voice.  "I remember the day we met, I remember our third trip to the zoo with Alex, I remember my sixth birthday party."

            "Sydney?"  

            "Vaughn, I remember things I compartmentalized."

            Vaughn smiled brightly.  "Sydney, this is, this is, this, this, is amazing."

            "You don't have to tell me twice."

            "We have to celebrate."

            "I'm all for it.  Girls, get over here!"

            Obediently, they both rushed over.  "What's up?"  Alexandra asked.

            Sydney first explained what happened to Juliana, seeing as how she always got what happens second, and then told Alexandra.  Both girls were ecstatic for their mother.

            Sydney and Juliana drove to the airport to pick up Rosa, Luis, and Raquel early the next month.  Juliana was excited to see her 'aunt' again. Sydney honestly couldn't wait to see Rosa again.  She and Rosa would call each other at least once a week, and now they were coming to visit Sydney for two weeks, for the wedding.  

            Juliana desperately wanted to be able to communicate with everyone around her, and every second Sydney or Vaughn could spare, she would beg them to teach her more English.  After just one month, Juliana was able to communicate what she wanted.  With a slow drive to the airport, due to the traffic, Juliana and Sydney were able to get a lot of practice done.  Sydney never got tired of helping her daughter.  With each new word she learned, they both got more excited. 

            Rosa, Luis and Raquel were waiting outside for Sydney and Juliana.  Sydney stopped the car with a jerk, excited to see her friends.  She quickly unbuckled her seatbelt and jumped out of the car. Juliana wasn't far behind mimicking her mother's actions.  Rosa and Sydney ran towards each other.  While embracing, Sydney felt something small latch onto her leg.  She looked down to see Raquel there.

            "*Come, you have to meet Alexandra and Michael still.*" Sydney said, after the hugging had ended.  

            "*I can't wait.  I mean you have told us so much about them, and won't shut up about them.*"

            Sydney smiled.  "*With good reason.*"

            "Mama?"  Juliana interrupted.

            "Yes?"

            "Where Daddy?"

            "Where is Daddy." Sydney corrected.   "Getting Grandma."

            "Ok.  *I can't wait to show you my room!*" Juliana yelled.

            "Quieter."

            "Que?"

            "Shhh…"

            Sydney stayed up all night talking with Rosa.  Michael, Alexandra, and Bridgette arrived long after Raquel and Juliana had gone to bed.  Alexandra walked half asleep to her bedroom, barely awake enough to even say hello to the guests. She immediately went to sleep when her head hit the pillow.  Michael and Luis headed off when the girl talk began.  Bridgette turned in not too long afterward.  The two friends talked about everything from the wedding, to Sydney's childhood, which after six years, Rosa was listening to for the first time.

            Over the next week, Rosa helped Sydney get everything ready for the wedding.  Vaughn and Sydney decided to have a small wedding with only family and close friends, in the backyard.  Everything was planned, and as the day grew closer and closer, Sydney grew increasingly more nervous.  She knew everything was going to be all right.  All they were doing was renewing their wedding vows.  The only reason they were even still calling it a wedding, was because they had been calling it that since three months before Sydney's memory returned.  Something about waking up next to Michael Vaughn every morning, made it feel like each day was the morning she was getting married.  Sydney could still remember the day she and Vaughn got married the first time.

            After the small ceremony, they were all going to go to Francie's restaurant. Sydney and Vaughn rented out the restaurant for a great price, free- for the reception.  By no means did they even need that much space, but when they tried to get a couple tables, Francie insisted that they take the entire restaurant.  And no matter how much the two protested that they only needed room for 20, Francie reserved her entire restaurant for her friends.  

            Finally the day arrived.  The ceremony was set for two, and for tradition sake, Vaughn stayed at a local hotel the night before.  Sydney was finding it increasingly difficult to get ready with both Juliana and Alexandra trying to help her get ready.

            "What do you think, should I wear my hair up, or should I leave it down?"

            "Down."  Alexandra answered.  "You look beautiful, Mom."

            "Thank you."

            "*You need to brush your hair.*"

            "Do you have something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue?"  

            "*Do you want me to do your hair Mama?*"

            "Girls!  Go see if Aunt Francie needs any help setting up outside.  Ok?"

            "*Why can't we help in here?*"

            "*Because, all I have left is my hair.*"

            "I have blue earrings!"  Alexandra leaped off her spot from her bed, and ran into her bedroom.  She came back only seconds later with a dark blue pair of earrings.  "You can borrow them, so they can be your borrowed and your blue."  Alexandra beamed.

            Sydney smiled and took the earrings from Alexandra.  "Go help Aunt Francie outside, or go play with Calvin, or Leigh, or Ally, or something.  Ok?"

            "Ok."

            Sydney took a closer look at the earrings.  They were plastic dark blue bunnies. The kind you buy for three year olds who lose their earrings frequently.  Sydney couldn't hurt Alexandra's feelings, so she took out her mother's old earrings, and put her daughter's in.  Sydney decided to put her hair down, hoping to maybe hide the bunnies a little.

            Alexandra hit play on the CD player, and Sydney took a deep breath.  She smelled the daisies she used as a bouquet, and smiled.  Vaughn was waiting on the other side of the door, and Sydney couldn't wait any longer.  She smiled as she heard the simple notes from the old string quartet CD cue her to start walking.  She opened the door, and came out.  Everyone was standing up, waiting for Sydney, the bride to walk.  Sydney saw her two daughters waiting for her by their father.  Eric and his fiancé, Robin, watched with a smile.  Francie and Joe each held a hand of Calvin's, trying to tame the impatient child.  Will and Mia held each other's hand, remembering their own wedding.  Leigh and Ally watched with only half attention, while also trying to see whose dress made a bigger circle, without their parents noticing. Rosa held a napping Raquel in her arms, while Luis stood behind them, rubbing her back in a loving and comforting way. Jack stood on the end, smiling at his daughter.  Their journey to friendship was slow, but now they had a real relationship, and he couldn't help but be prouder of her, than he had ever been in his life. Bridgette had always told her son that it was time for him to move on.  She knew that Sydney was the only woman that her son could ever love, but she saw him tear up him and Alexandra before anyone else did.  She knew that if she could get him to move on, maybe he would save his relationship with his daughter before it failed.  But now watching Sydney walk towards her son, she knew that there was no way that he would have ever gotten over the one woman that gave him everything.

            As Sydney looked around at her family and friends, Sydney couldn't help but smile.  Looking into Vaughn's eyes, Sydney could tell.  She had found her way home.

~~FIN~~

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